Silence Period
The 48 hours before polling closes when public campaigning is prohibited.
Short answer
What is Silence Period?
The silence period, or campaign silence, is the 48-hour window ending with the close of poll during which public campaigning, election meetings and the display of election matter in electronic media are prohibited under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Definition
The silence period, or campaign silence, is the 48-hour window ending with the close of poll during which public campaigning, election meetings and the display of election matter in electronic media are prohibited under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Why It Matters
The rules extend to digital activity in ways many campaigns underestimate. Scheduled posts, running advertisements and active messaging must all be stopped, and failure to do so exposes the candidate to complaint and penalty at the worst possible moment.
Example in Indian Elections
A compliant digital operation schedules all paid campaigns to end and freezes organic publishing before the window opens, working from a signed-off shutdown checklist rather than relying on individuals remembering.
Related Terms
- Model Code of ConductECI guidelines governing party and candidate conduct once an election is announced.
- Election Expenditure LimitThe statutory cap on what a candidate may spend on their campaign.
- Candidate AffidavitThe sworn declaration of assets, liabilities and criminal cases filed at nomination.
- DPDP Act 2023India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, governing personal data processing.
- Paid NewsEditorial coverage secretly purchased and presented as independent journalism.
- Polling BoothThe individual polling station where a defined group of voters casts their votes.