ECI notifies on pre-certification of political advertisements

The Election Commission of India (ECI), in exercise of its power under Article 324 of the Constitution and all other powers, has directed that no political party or candidate or any other organisation or person should publish any advertisement in the print media on poll day and one day prior to poll day unless the contents of political advertisements get pre-certificate by them from the MCMC committee at the state/ district level as the case may be.

In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) of all the poll-bound states, ECI joint director, Anuj Chandak, informed that instances of advertisements of offending and misleading nature published in print media have been brought to the notice of the Commission in the past. The letter stated that such advertisements in the last stage of the election vitiate the entire election process. It added that the affected candidates and parties would not have any opportunity of providing clarification/ rebuttal in such cases.

The letter was issued in order to ensure that such instances are not repeated, and no untoward incident takes place because of any inflammatory, misleading or hate advertisements, it stated.

The restricted days (poll day and one day prior to poll day) in respect of Nagaland would be February 26 and 27. It informed that the applicants should apply to MCMC no later than two days prior to the proposed date of publication of advertisement on poll day and one day prior to poll day.

In order to facilitate the process of pre-certification of the newspaper advertisements and as instructed, it stated that MCMC at state/ district level be immediately alerted and activated in order to examine and pre-certify all such advertisements received from the political parties and candidates and others. The Commission has also directed the CEO to ensure that the decision by MCM is made expeditiously.

It further directed the CEO to convey the above mentioned directives to the notice of presidents of all political parties, contesting candidates and newspapers in the state and also give wide publicity to all media of mass communication for general information and strict compliance.

It further informed that those directives would come into force with immediate effect.