ECI Tightens Rules on Political Advertising: Mandatory Pre-Certification for All Campaigns
ECI mandates pre-certification of political ads, tightens compliance rules for Bihar Assembly polls
Bihar, Oct 14 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued strict directives for political parties and candidates contesting the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, making pre-certification mandatory for all political advertisements on electronic and social media.
Under the new guidelines, all political ads must be approved by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) before publication. Committees have been established at both district and state levels to oversee the certification process.
Candidates are required to declare their official social media accounts while filing nominations. Political parties must also submit detailed expenditure statements for online campaigns within 75 days after the elections conclude.
The ECI warned of stringent consequences for non-compliance, including fines, imprisonment, and strict action against violators, which may include revocation of printing press licenses.
This move aims to curb unregulated online political campaigning and ensure transparency in digital election practices ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls.
