Taking action against the violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), Punjab Police have registered a case against the owner and managers of Prime Cinema, along with the in-charge of Qube Cinema, for allegedly screening advertisements featuring the Punjab Government logo and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The FIR was registered based on recommendations of the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) in Patiala district.
The complaint was lodged by social activist Manik Goyal, who provided evidence of the alleged violation, including a video clip recorded inside Prime Cinema on April 6. The clip purportedly shows the cinema playing advertisements featuring the Punjab Government logo and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during the screening of the movie ‘Crew’.
Patiala district MCMC confirmed that neither the cinema hall owner nor the managers had obtained authorization from any government department, political party, or candidate to display the advertisements. Moreover, the content of the advertisements had not been pre-certified, as required by the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines.
In response to the complaint, the Rajpura (sadar) police registered a case under Sections 188 and 177 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the individuals responsible for the unauthorized display of political advertisements.
The state’s Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C expressed firm action against the violation of the Model Code of Conduct, emphasizing zero tolerance for such infractions in Punjab. Following the complaint received on April 6, the CEO’s office promptly initiated an investigation, seeking reports from relevant authorities.
A notice was issued to the manager of Prime Cinemas in Rajpura, and a flying squad was dispatched to verify the allegations. Subsequently, the matter was referred to the MCMC in Patiala for further review and recommendations.
Based on the findings of the MCMC committee, the Patiala police took legal action against the cinema hall owner, managers, and the representative of Qube Cinema for their roles in the violation. The case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC, and a report has been forwarded to the Election Commission of India for further directions and guidance.
The CEO's office reiterated that similar incidents had not been reported from other 22 districts in Punjab, underscoring the isolated nature of the violation. As the state gears up for the Lok Sabha elections, authorities remain vigilant in upholding the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring compliance with the MCC to uphold democratic principles.
