130 'hate news' cases reported between 2019 LS election and latest round of Assembly polls in 2022

A total of 130 cases of "hate news" were reported to social media platforms between the 2019 Lok Sabha election and the latest round of Assembly polls in five states held earlier this year, the government informed Parliament.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju also said the Election Commission has informed that no complaints were received from the political parties regarding data leaks during elections in the last five years.

"Total number of 'hate news' cases reported to social media platforms (since Lok Sabha elections 2019) is 130," he said.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, 58 such cases were reported.

During the Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly polls in 2019, only one such case was reported, Rijiju said.

No complaint was received during the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly polls and the 2020 Bihar election. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls, 34 such cases were reported.

In the Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry Assembly polls last year, 29 cases of "hate news" were reported, the minister said.

The number of such cases was eight during the latest round of Assembly polls in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh held earlier this year, he added.