EC for 24X7 vigil against paid news in run up to polls

Poll panel, I&B Ministry to discuss on checking growing incidents of the same

The Election Commission today said an effective mechanism including a round-the-clock monitoring system will be put in place to check cases of paid news in the run up to the assembly elections in Delhi slated for November.

ECI Director General Akshay Rout said the poll panel will soon hold discussions with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on how to check the growing incidents of paid news.

Usually the poll panel recommends to Press Council of India (PCI) cases involving print media and to News Broadcasters Association (NBA) for violations by TV channels.

"The poll panel will keep a strong vigil to check the menace during polls and punitive action will be taken as per provisions of the law," he said during a workshop organised to sensitise media ahead of the assembly polls here.

Resolving to deal with the problem, he said a "24X7 mechanism" is being put into place in Delhi to monitor content in electronic and print media after notification for the election is issued.

"We are setting up media certification and monitoring committees in all districts which will be headed by the district electoral officer. These committee will keep a vigil on media content," he said.

In case of any violation of laid down norms on paid news, the poll panel would post the names of the political party, the candidate and the media house concerned on its websites. At the same time, Rout said proper care will be taken to discourage frivolous complaints.

"If we come across any confirm cases of paid news, then we will put names of candidate, the political party he belongs to and media house on our website," he said.

As per norms, if a news is confirmed as paid news, Rout said the poll panel will add up its cost as election expenditure of the candidate concerned.

He said for action against erring media house, the Commission will forward the cases to either PCI or NBA.