Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Mar 20: Deputy commissioner (DC) A B Ibrahim on Thursday March 20 said that the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) formed under directives of the Election Commissioner will keep a keen want on advertisements by political parties and candidates, and also monitor the use of social media for campaigning.
Addressing a press meet at his office here, Ibrahim said that at the district level, the committee will be chaired by district returning officer, with district information officer as member secetary, and all the assistant returning officers, Akashvani station director Dr Vasanth Kumar Perla, and journalist Raghuram Bhat as its members.
Elaborating on instructions with regard to certification of political advertisements, the DC said that the Supreme Court in its order dated April 13, 2004 had directed that all political advertisements proposed to be issued on TV channels and cable networks by any registered political party/any group or organization/association or individual candidate need to be pre-certified by a committee. Following the order, the Election Commissioner of India directed all the states and union territories to form MCMC.
The EC has issued order that the MCMC will also deal with politcal advertisements on radio including the private FM channels and cinema halls, the DC said. Also, if a political party wants to reproduce its certified Hindi/English advertisements in a regional language, permission has to be sought from the MCMC committee in the state concerned.
He also said audio-visual displays of political advertisements or campaign material in public places need certification from the designated committee.
Paid News
The DC said that with regard to paid news, the EC has accepted the definition given by the Press Council of India, which states: "any news or analysis appearing in any media (print and electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration." The EC has proposed to the union ministry of law and justice to make paid news a punishable offence with a minimum of two years' imprisonment, and the issue is pending before the government of India.
As per the direction of the EC, instances of paid news will be monitored by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee. If any instance of paid news is suspected, the candidate will be issued a notice for which he/she is required to reply within 48 hours. If the candidate fails to reply or if the response is unsatisfactory, the committee will take the final decision. The candidate will have the opportunity to appeal against the committee's decision within 48 hours with state MCMC, and again with the EC within 48 hours after the state MCMC gives its decision.
The chief election officers will report paid news to the EC in two formats - weekly reports from the date of scrutiny of nominations and final detailed report, and two, of all the confirmed cases of paid news just after completion of elections.
On the basis of these reports, the names of print and electronic media involved in paid news will be sent to the Press Council of India and News Broadcasters Association (NBA), for necessary action.
The DC added that MCMC in the district has so far received two complaints of paid news.
Social Media
The EC in its guidelines dated October 25, 2013 stated that candidates need to furnish details of their social media accounts while filing nominations. Advertisements on social media sites also have to be pre-certified by the MCMC. The EC further stated that candidates and polticial parties shall include all expenditure on campaigning, including that on advertisements on social media, both for maintaining a correct account of expenditure and for submitting the statement of expenditure.