Bihar polls: EC allocates radio, TV time to parties

The Election Commission on Friday allocated time to national and state political parties for campaigning on state-run All India Radio and Doordarshan for the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar, with the ruling Janata Dal-United getting the maximum time followed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

According to an order of the poll panel, a base time of 45 minutes will be given to each national and recognised state party on the regional kendras (centres) of Doordarshan and AIR in Bihar.

The poll panel has also decided on additional time for parties based on their poll performance in the last Bihar assembly polls.

It said the period of broadcast and telecast will be between the last date of filing nominations and two days before the date of the poll (in each phase).

The order said facilities would be available from the regional station of AIR and DD in Bihar and relayed within the state and the parties will be required to submit transcripts and recordings in advance.

"In a single session of broadcast, no party will be allocated more than 15 minutes... Time vouchers will be available in denomination of five minutes and parties will be free to combine them suitably," the order said.

It said Prasar Bharti will also organise maximum of two panel discussions or debates on DD/AIR and each eligible party can send one representative.

The Eelection Commission has allocated 171 minutes for telecast and 171 minutes for broadcast to the JD-U.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal has been allocated 150 minutes on the two media, the Bharatiya Janata Party 137 minutes and the Congress 92 minutes.

The order came two days after the Congress, the JD-U and the RJD approached the Election Commission to seek suspension of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' radio address till the assembly elections were over in Bihar.

The three parties are contesting the polls in an alliance.