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Election Commission issues advisory on upcoming Assembly polls

Listing out relevant portions of article 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission clarified that by "election matter", they imply matter intended or calculated to influence the result in an election.

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In light of the upcoming Assembly polls in five states, the Election Commission on Thursday issued an exhaustive advisory about prohibiting display of any election matter on any medium 48 hours before the conclusion of a poll in any constituency.

Listing out relevant portions of article 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission clarified that by "election matter", they imply matter intended or calculated to influence the result in an election. This can be by means of cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus.

The advisory cautions that any person who contravenes the provisions shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

The prohibition will even be applicable to TV channels in the telecast of their panel discussions/debates and other news and current affairs programmes.

"The Commission asks the TV/Radio channels and cable networks to ensure that the contents of the programme telecast/broadcast/displayed by them during the period of 48 hours referred to in Section 126 do not contain any material, including views and appeals by panellists and participants that may be construed as promoting or prejudicing the prospect of any particular party or candidate(s) or influencing/affecting the result of the election," the advisory read, adding, this shall include display of result of any opinion poll and of standard debates, analysis, visuals and sound-bytes.

The EC has resorted to the explicit advisory in light of previous elections where top leaders have flouted guidelines. The opposition parties had also raised questions over EC's objectivity and claimed that the ministers and leaders of the ruling BJP were dealt with leniency while their leaders were reprimanded for the same violations.

Meanwhile, the Commission also asked the print media to adhere to exhaustive guidelines issued by the Press Council of India on July 30, 2010 that ask newspapers to file objective reports about elections and the candidates and not to indulge in unhealthy election campaigns, exaggerated reports about any candidate/party or incident during the elections.

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