CEC flags potential of deep fakes, false narrative to destabilise polls

A group of ambassadors and nine countries' permanent representatives to the United Nations on Monday interacted with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar who flagged the potential of false narratives, deep fakes and use of artificial intelligence to disturb the level playing field in polls.

The CEC briefed the representatives about the vast magnitude of conducting elections in the world's largest democracy with nearly 97 crore registered electors who will cast their vote in around 12 lakh polling stations to be set up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

According to the Election Commission, he said the Indian general election is the world's largest peacetime mobilisation of man and material which is carried out with clockwork precision.

The delegation included representatives from Angola, Bahrain, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Palau, Panama, the Solomon Islands and Uruguay.

"He (CEC Rajiv Kumar) also highlighted the rising challenge of fake narratives, deep fakes and use of artificial intelligence being faced by democracies globally that has the potential of disturbing the level-playing field and election integrity," the poll panel said.

The interaction was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs as part of its regular outreach to connect with various countries represented at the United Nations.