हिंदी
MANDATORY TO GET PRE-CERTIFICATION FOR ELECTRONIC MEDIA ADS
STRICT ACTION WILL BE TAKEN ON PAID NEWS
Barnala, Jan 11 2022
On the orders of District Election Officer – cum-Deputy Commissioner Barnala Mr Kumar Sourabh Raj, Media Certification and Media Monitoring Committee (MCMC) has been formed to keep an eye on the media activities and certification of advertisements for all the three assembly constituencies. The MCMC has started working since the declaration of Model Code of Conduct.
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Member of the MCMC SDM Barnala Mr Varjeet Singh Walia, who is also currently Additional District Election Officer (ADEO) Barnala today directed the MCMC members to ensure that activities of all political parties and candidates are duly monitored in print media, electronic media and social media. If the MCMC members come across any advertisement of a candidate, it should be sent to concerned Returning Officer for including it in poll expenses of the concerned candidate.
He added that e-paper editions of the newspapers are also considered a part of the electronic media and hence any kind of content put in form of an advertisement requires pre certification from the MCMC set up in room number 86, second floor, District Administrative Complex, Barnala. Similarly, any kind of video or other content put on social and electronic media has to be certified from the MCMC. Committee will document the script, cost incurred on making the content and other charges. All kinds of charges incurred in this are to be made through cheques. If any organization puts up content without approval from concerned candidate and without approval of the MCMC, action will be taken against it under section 171 H, IPC. Also pre certification of advertisement put up two days before poll is required from this committee for print media also.
Mr Walia said that if anyone gets a paid news published or gets money in lieu of news, the expenses incurred will be added into the expenses of concerned candidate. Also the name of such candidate will be included in list of candidates in paid news section of the Election Commission website list. Also Press Council of India and National Broadcasting Standard Authority will be written to against the concerned organization.
Nodal Officer MCMC-cum-DPRO Megha Mann, election tehsildar Harjinder Kaur, master trainers Rajesh Kumar and Rakesh Kumar, members of MCMC from all the three assembly constituencies including Mehal Kalan, Barnala and Tapa were also present.
Pre certification is required for which platforms?
Advertisement pre certification is required for electronic media that includes all online e papers, radio, TV, cinema hall and social media, bulk messages on mobile and social media platforms like Facebook. Before uploading advertisements on any of these platforms, a pre certification from the district level MCMC is mandatory.
He added that the registered national/ regional party will have to apply for approval at least three days before uploading the content. In case of individual or unregistered party, this has to be done 7 days before. Application should have copy of the recording and transcript. On coming across any kind of violation, action will be taken by concerned Returning Officer.
Appeal to cable operators, social media, web channels, websites, whatsapp groups
Mr Walia appealed the cable operators, social media, web channels, websites, whatsapp groups to get copies of pre certification before running political advertisements. He appealed all the political outfits to abide by rules of Election Commission.
