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Hyderabad, 12 Oct 2023 (PMI): District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner Ronald Ross today made it clear that the wall writing display vehicles along with the video advertisements broadcast on the bulk SMS and advertisements telecast on the radio channel should be approved from the office of the District Election Officer in advance. Prior approval has to be obtained for publicity advertisements, he said while adding that the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) has been set up in the CPRO section at the GHMC headquarters specifically for recognition of paid news that appears in various newspapers, print electronic social media.
Ronald Ross said the committee, which has district election officer as chairman has a deputy director of information bureau, a senior journalist, GHMC CPRO and a joint collector of Hyderabad district. He said the committee would monitor any media violations during elections. All kinds of political advertisements circulating on electronic media, satellite channels and local cable networks should be approved in advance by the MCMC Committee and advertisements in print electronic social media and other media published on the polling day and the day before will also be permitted, he said.
He also said permission would be given in accordance with the model code of conduct for those advertisements, which don’t have attacks on religions and classes, abusive language and inappropriate statements, inciting violence and advertisements, which are not against court judgments and judiciary and not disturbing the unity of the sovereignty of the country.
He said the printing press firms should also take permission from them and added that the printing posters and pamphlets should not contain any offensive content. It is clarified that political announcements will be permitted by the Hyderabad District MCMC Committee only to the candidates contesting for assembly seats in Hyderabad district. Recognised political parties and registered political parties will have to apply to the State-level MCMC committee for political statements.
Special surveillance on paid news
Ronald Ross said they would keep a special surveillance on the paid news. ‘The MCMC Committee recognizes any newspaper, electronic media channel as paid news, taking into account the factors such as payment of money for social media analytics or inducements and so on. The Election Commission has noted that paid news has been at an alarming level in the recent past with regard to personalised propaganda by various parties and candidates influencing voters through the media.
The Election Commission has set up a special paid news regulatory mechanism to curb the paid news that is likely to affect voters on the ground. As part of this, the District Media Monitoring and Certification Committee constituted at the district level will identify the paid news and issue notices to the concerned candidate through the returning officers.
Following the rate card provided by the Information Department in respect of this paid news, the cost incurred will be calculated and notices will be issued by the RO for depositing the election expenses of the candidates. A copy of the notice will also be handed over to election expenditure observers. The Returning Officer will issue notices to the concerned candidate within 96 hours, asking why the paid news expenditure circulated in newspapers or TV channels should not be included in their election expenditure. The concerned candidates are required to reply to the notices issued by the Returning Officer on paid news within 48 hours. If the MCMC Committee is not satisfied with the answer of the candidates, such expenditure will be added to the election expenditure of the candidates. However, the candidate will have the opportunity to refer the mcmc’s decision to the state level MCMC committee,” he said. (PMI)
