Get all advertisements certified, EC directs political parties

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked every registered national and state political party and every contesting candidate to apply to the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) for pre-certification of all political advertisements on electronic media, including social media before publication.

These directions were issued to political parties on October 9 in the context of the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections and byelections on eight seats in six states and the union territory of J&K.

MCMCs have been constituted at the district and state levels for pre-certification of political advertisements as per the prescribed guidelines, the ECI order said.

No political advertisements are to be released to any Internet-based media/websites, including social media websites, by political parties/candidates without pre-certification from the respective MCMC, it directed further.

MCMCs shall also keep a strict vigil on suspected cases of paid news in the media and take suitable action. Further, given the penetration of social media in the electoral landscape, candidates have also been instructed to share the details of their authentic social media accounts at the time of filing nomination, the poll body has ordered.

According to Section 77(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the directions of the Supreme Court, political parties should also submit a statement of expenditure incurred on campaigning through Internet, including social media websites, to the ECI within 75 days of the completion of the Assembly elections.

Such expenditure, among other things, shall include payments made to Internet companies and websites for carrying advertisements and also campaign-related expenditure on development of content and operational expenditure incurred to maintain their social media accounts, said the ECI.

Assembly elections in Bihar are to be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11. The results are to be declared on November 14. Byelections on eight seats in six states and the union territory of J&K are to be held on November 11 and their results will also be declared on November 14.