On the instructions of the election commission of India, in order to take care of model code of conduct in media sector, collector Avinash Champawat held a meeting of the district media certification and monitoring committee (MCMC). The committee will look into the paid news and advertisements released by political parties and candidates.
While talking about MCMC works, collector Champawat said that before issuance of advertisements to cable television and news channels, the candidates have to take permission from the district media certification and monitoring committee through application on proforma 27 prescribed by the election commission of India. Cost and period of the advertisement should be mentioned in the application. The committee will issue permission for publication of the advertisement on form 28.
If the media monitoring cell feels that any advertisement has been published by the candidate without taking proper permission, it would inform the returning officer immediately. The returning officer would issue notice to the candidate under Section 127 of the Public Representation Act 1951. The media committee will maintain records of candidate-wise paid news and advertisements published in print media, cable television, news channel and radio.
MCMC will submit daily information to the assistant expenditure observer about the clipping recording of print and electronic media and paid news. District media certification and monitoring committee will issue notice to the candidate on the reported paid news with supportive cutting of records, clipping, recording of TV and radio advertisement concerned and about the expenses made by the candidate on election advertisements with the advice of expenditure observer.
Member of the committee SP Ramgopal Garg, district panchayat CEO Ranu Sahu, ASP Megha Tembhurkar, media representative Kamlesh Sharma and Ramcharit Dwivedi and district public relations officer Pawan Gupta were present in the meeting.