Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (JD/EP)

Udupi, Apr 4: As election model code of conduct has been imposed in view of state assembly elections, it is necessary to obtain prior permission from media certification monitoring committee (MCMC) to publish advertisements in favour of any political parties or candidates on cable TV, Facebook, Whatsapp and all the other platforms of social media.

A separate office has been opened on the first floor of the deputy commissioner’s office complex to track advertisements published 24x7 without prior permissions. Staff are deployed in three shifts to watch TV programmes being broadcast in the district. The programmes are being watched on eight TV screens and the contents are entered in the register. The staff will submit a report to the nodal officer about the advertisements published without permission and the programmes that are violating model code of conduct.

DVRs are installed to record all the programmes that are broadcast in local TV channels. The clippings of advertisements violating model code of conduct are being extracted from DVRs attached to the TVs and submitted along with the reports to the election officer concerned for action.

Newspapers are also being scrutinized for violations of election model code of conduct. A team of experts has been formed to keep an eye on the advertisements being published on social media 24x7. They too are working in three shifts.

“All the preparations have been made for fair and transparent elections in the district. The political parties and the candidates should submit a printout and video recording of their publicity programmes to obtain prior permission from MCMC,” stated deputy commissioner Kurma Rao M.