The Election Commission (EC) has set up a committee to check the practice of paid news during Lok Sabh polls. The Commission has appointed Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at district and state-level, which will scrutinise all media within its jurisdiction to identify political advertisement in the garb of news, EC Director General Akshay Rout said in New Delhi on Thursday.
Trends will be observed and reports will be compiled by the committee, which will give daily report on all advertising expenditure of a candidate, including suspected cases of paid news along with supportive documents, he said. Rout was addressing a media workshop on 'Election Regulation, Paid news and Systematic Voters Education and Electors Participation'.
"EC is committed to curb the practice of paid news which handicaps the democratic process...the poll body has already sought to make the menace an electoral offence," he said. Rout said that political parties and media groups had approached the Commission in the past requesting for strong steps against paid news. He mentioned that the Press Council of India also has well-drafted guidelines on the issue.
He, however, clarified that it was not EC's job or intent to regulate the media. He sought the media's support for conduct of free, fair, peaceful and transparent election as well as to ensure more participation of people. "Fair election is about ensuring a level playing field and keeping out undue influence."
He pointed out that while the paid news menace is virtually negligible in the north-eastern states, in states like Punjab, the number of cases in the previous polls were high. He said that display of election matter in electronic media during 48 hours before the poll is restricted under Section 126B of the Representation of the People's Act.
Publicity material to be released by political parties on social media would also be covered under the Act. The contesting candidates would also have to submit the details of their accounts on social media while filing nominations, he said. He clarified that if any other person has to carry out publicity campaign for a candidate or party on social media, in that case, such person would have to get an authorised certificate to this effect from such candidate or party.
While Punjab, which has 13 Lok Sabha seats goes to polls on April 30, the elections for the 10 seats in Haryana and lone parliamentary seat of Chandigarh will be held on April 10.
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