EC diktat on paper ads after beef row

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) advertisement demanding an explanation from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over beef-eating remarks by his "friends" whipped up a row on Wednesday, prompting the poll panel to ban political ads in newspapers on Thursday, when Bihar votes in the final phase.

Though BJP defended its action, saying there was "nothing wrong in it", the Election Commission banned publication of ads by any party or candidate in newspapers without those being "pre-certified" by an empowered media panel.