- Paid news in state
Bhopal: Chief Electoral Officer Shri Anupam Rajan said that voting for the Assembly elections-2023 in Madhya Pradesh is to be held in a single phase on November 17. The Election Commission is working diligently at every level to conduct the elections in a fair and peaceful manner. During the code of conduct implemented in the state, election campaigns of political parties and cases of paid news are also being strictly monitored. District level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) State level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee are monitoring paid news 24 hours. So far 80 cases of paid news come forth from different districts of the state, out of which the district level MCMC committee has issued notices to the candidates in 78 cases. Whereas there are two cases which were not found to be paid news in the initial investigation, hence they have been canceled at the district level itself. The remaining 30 episodes are considered paid news. 48 cases are pending before the committee.
This is how paid news is being monitored 24 hours
The Election Commission of India has given instructions to critically monitor paid news cases to make the election process transparent and fair. District level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) and State level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee have been constituted for prompt action on paid news cases. Whenever any suspicious case related to paid news is detected, it is first sent to the District MCMC Committee. The District MCMC Committee investigates the cases received regarding paid news at the preliminary level. If there is a case of paid news, then the returning officer of the assembly constituency in which the case of paid news is related to issues a notice to the candidate to answer for it. If suspected paid news cases are not found to be true in the preliminary investigation, they are canceled by the district level MCMC committee.
Notice is given to candidate on paid news
The District Level MCMC Committee directs the Returning Officer of the concerned constituency to issue a notice to the concerned candidate to respond in the paid news cases. The candidate has to give his answer in this regard after the notice of paid news is issued. If the candidate does not respond within 48 hours, the District MCMC Committee takes its decision on the entire matter and the expenditure on paid news is added to the election account of the candidate.
Candidates dissatisfied with decision can appeal
In paid news cases, if any candidate is not satisfied with the decision of the district level committee, then he can appeal in this matter before the state level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee. On the appeal of the candidate, the state level committee hears the matter and decides on it.
If any candidate is not satisfied with the decision of the state level committee, then he can also appeal before the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee constituted in the Election Commission of India.
