The ECI has directed all political parties and candidates to obtain clearance from the MCMC before publishing any advertisement in the print media on the day of voting and the day before. They must also ensure that the advertisement does not contain any material which may be deemed as influencing the outcome of the election.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has written to the editors of all major newspapers in Karnataka ahead of the important May 10 assembly elections, making them accountable for any advertisement published in their publications.
“An editor shall be responsible for all matters, including advertisements, published in the newspaper. If responsibility is disclaimed, this shall be explicitly stated beforehand,” the ECI said in a letter to editors of newspapers in Karnataka.
The poll panel issued an advisory to political parties and shared it with the editors of all newspapers.
Voting for the 224-member Karnataka assembly will take place on May 13, with the campaigning period ending on Monday. The results of the highly anticipated election will be announced on the same day.
ECI advisory to political parties, “No political party or candidate or any other organisation or person shall publish any advertisement in the print media on poll day and one day prior to poll day unless the contents of political advertisement are got pre-certified by them from the MCMC at the state/district level, as the case may be”.
In April, the commission issued a stern notice to political parties, directing them to pre-certify advertisements, a directive that has been given before.
“… instances of advertisements of offending and misleading nature published in print media have been brought to the notice of the commission in the past. Such advertisements in the last stage of the election vitiate the entire election process,” ECI said.
The MCMC has requested that political parties, candidates, and newspapers in the state submit their applications to the MCMC at least two days before the scheduled publication of any advertisement on Election Day and one day before Election Day.
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