Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, 8 May -
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Agarwal said that as per the guidelines of the Election Commission, any kind of political advertisement cannot be published in the print media without the permission of the State and District, Media Certification and Monitoring Committee on the day of polling or a day prior.
The Chief Electoral Officer was addressing a review meeting of the department officers regarding the Lok Sabha elections. The Commission has decided that during the final phase of the entire election process, there is no need to engage in protecting or misleading anyone through political advertisements in the print media. He said that permission will have to be obtained from the MCMC two days in advance to publish advertisements in print media on the day of voting and one day before voting.
He said that under Section 77(1) and 127A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission has directed that when publishing any advertisement or election-related material of any political party or candidate during the election period in the print media, the publisher must display their name and address along with the advertisement.
He said that if there is a violation of the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, orders will be issued against the violator, and their equipment may be seized. He said that all types of advertisements or paid news should be published under the rules of the Press Council of India and the Press and Registration of Books Act, 2020, and the rules of the News Broadcasters Association and Digital Association. He said that a committee has also been formed at the level of the Election Commission of India to monitor complaints of such paid news, which includes Additional Director General (news) of News Service Section of All India Radio, Additional Director General of DAVP New Delhi, members of the Press Council of India, Members of the Press Council of India, Principal Secretary, Secretary (Election Expenditure In-charge), Principal Secretary (Legal) of the respective State and Union Territory, Principal Secretary In-charge (CC&BE Division), Director, Principal Secretary, Deputy Secretary (Media Division). The committee will hear appeals against decisions of the state-level MCMC committee. As far as cases of paid news are concerned, complaints received directly by the Commission will be forwarded to the state-level MCMC committee for consideration.