New Delhi In view of complaints regarding “ unverified ” claims in political announcements, the Election Commission of India( ECI) has asked all political parties and campaigners to get “ concurrence ” from the media instrument and monitoring commission( MCMC) before publishing any announcement in the print media on the date of polling and a day prior.
“ No political party or seeker or any other association or person shall publish any announcement in the print media on bean day and one day previous to bean day unless the contents of the political announcement are got pre-certified by them from the MCMC commission at the State/ quarter position, as the case may be, ” a letter to the political parties dated May 7 said.
ECI on Sunday also held all major original journals in the state responsible for all matters including announcements published in their journals.
Citing the Press Council of India’s morals for journalistic conduct, the ECI, in a letter said, “ An editor shall be responsible for all matters, including announcements, published in thenewspaper.However, this shall be explicitly stated beforehand, If responsibility is disclaimed. ”
It said to the political parties that cases of announcements of an offending and misleading nature published in print media have been brought to the notice of the commission in the history.
“ similar announcements in the last stage of the election vitiate the entire election process, ” ECI said.
In the advisory to the parties, the bean body also stressed on “ clean and serious ” crusade which is set to end on Monday for the Karnataka assembly choices.
The 224- seat Karnataka assembly will go to pates on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.
