EC mandates pre-certification of ads for poll campaign

The Election Commission of India on Friday directed political parties, candidates and related organisations to obtain pre-certification for all political advertisements from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) before publication. The directive applies to advertisements across electronic media, including television, radio, audio-visual displays in public places, e-papers, bulk SMS and voice messages, as well as social media platforms.

The order comes ahead of the Assembly elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

According to EC, individual candidates must apply for certification to the district-level MCMC, while recognised political parties can approach the state-level MCMC. An appellate committee headed by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) will hear appeals against decisions of the district and state committees.

The Commission said no political advertisements should be released on internet-based platforms, including social media, without prior certification. It also directed candidates to disclose details of their official social media accounts in their affidavits at the time of filing nominations. MCMCs have been asked to keep strict vigil on suspected cases of paid news and take appropriate action.

Citing Section 77(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission said political parties must submit details of campaign expenditure, including spending on internet and social media, within 75 days of completion of the elections. This includes payments made to internet companies, advertisement costs, content creation, and operational expenses for maintaining social media accounts.

The Commission also held a meeting on March 19 with Chief Electoral Officers, police and IT nodal officers of poll-bound states, and representatives of social media platforms to ensure timely action against misinformation, disinformation and fake news during the elections.