EC holds workshop for mediapersons

If news proves to be paid, then the Election Commission will add this expenditure to the contesting candidate’s budget, says Mukesh Kumar Meena, A.P. Chief Electoral Officer

The political parties and contesting candidates should obtain precertification from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC), for all their advertisements including visual and print, informed Mukesh Kumar Meena, Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

In a workshop conducted by him with the media managements and senior journalists on Friday at the Secretariat in Velagapudi, the CEO said that they have constituted the Statelevel and districtlevel MCMCs for this purpose, as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

He said that so far, even before the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct by the ECI, almost all major parties in the State have applied for the precertification of 155 advertisements, out of which the State MCMC has cleared 141.

Curb on paid news

Reacting to the paid news menace during the election campaign, he suggested the media maintain self regulation.

He warned that if the news proved to be a paid one, then the election commission will add this expenditure into the contesting candidate’s budget. He added that the expenditure limit for Assembly constituency is ₹40 lakh and for Parliamentary constituency it is ₹95 lakh in the Andhra Pradesh.

He also said that the ECI would write to the Press Council of India, if any media organisation indulges in paid news campaigns to favour some candidate.

The CEO informed that the ECI would issue passes for the media persons, which are valid to cover the election related news at the time of polling and counting. Responding to attacks on journalists while covering the election campaigns, he said that District Collectors and SPs must ensure proper law and order and they should not allow any violence and stern action must be taken against violators.