SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Pushpendra Rajput on Wednesday said strict measures had been taken to check ‘paid news’ advertisement in form of news in media and related matters during Vidhan Sabha elections in the state.
A Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) had been constituted in each district for previewing, scrutinising and verifying all advertisements by individual contesting candidates or political parties.
The state-level MCMC has been constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Electoral Officer. Observers appointed by the ECI, Station Director, Doordarshan Kendra, Shimla, Director, Information and Public Relations Department, Assistant Director News, All India Radio, Shimla as members and Additional Chief Electoral Officer as Member Secretary.
He said besides discharging the functions of certification of advertisement and checking of paid news, the Committee would assist in enforcement of media-related regulations under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The Committee would scan all media including internet, cable and mobile network for suspected cases of paid news, monitoring of political advertisements in electronic media, expenditure on advertisements along with name and address of the publisher and printer.
Any candidate may appeal against the decision of MCMC to the Election Commission within 48 hours of receiving of order from this committee. The decision of EC would be final, he said.
Besides, where the suspected cases of Paid News were decided as a “Paid News “either at district level/CEO level/Commission level, as the case may be, the actual/notional expenditure shall be treated as part of election expenses of the candidate concerned. (AGENCIES)
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