Editorial Policy

Last updated: January 2025

1. Purpose

Drishta exists to improve civic accountability in India. Our editorial standards are designed to ensure that promises, issues, and news articles on this platform are accurate, verifiable, and fair. We are not a propaganda platform for any political party or ideology.

2. Promise Tracker Standards

All promises must be sourced. Acceptable sources include: official party manifestos, recorded speeches with verifiable links, press releases from the politician's office, and credible news coverage. Promises without a source will not be approved. Promise status updates (Kept / Broken / In Progress) must be accompanied by evidence — a link, a document, or a verifiable news report. Unsubstantiated status changes will not go live.

3. Issue Board Standards

Issues must include a photograph of the problem. The photograph must clearly show the reported issue. Fabricated or misleading photos will result in immediate removal and a ban. Issues that are political attacks masquerading as civic problems will be removed. Issues go live immediately but are subject to community reporting — five independent reports trigger an admin review.

4. News Channel Standards

Channel publishers must: (a) identify themselves with a real name or recognised organisation, (b) include author bylines on all articles, (c) link claims to verifiable sources, (d) correct errors publicly with an editor's note — not quietly delete content, (e) not publish content that is designed primarily to damage the reputation of a private individual rather than hold a public figure accountable.

5. What We Do Not Allow

We do not allow: defamation of private individuals, unverified criminal accusations, content that incites communal violence or hatred, content that constitutes electoral misinformation, plagiarised content, AI-generated content published as original reporting without disclosure, paid promotional content published as editorial, or content that violates any applicable Indian law.

6. Moderation

Drishta operates a community moderation system: five independent reports on any piece of content (promise, issue, or article) triggers an automatic hide and admin review. Admins have sole discretion to restore or permanently remove content. Channels found to be systematically violating these policies will be suspended.

7. Corrections

We are committed to accuracy. If you believe information on this platform is incorrect, use the "Report as inaccurate" feature on the relevant item, or email us at editorial@drishta.in. We aim to review all correction requests within 5 business days.

8. Independence

Drishta does not accept advertising. No individual, politician, party, or company can pay for favourable coverage or to suppress coverage. The platform is independently funded. Drishta has no political alignment and covers all parties equally.