To check Paid News, including advertisement in the garb of news in media related matters for the Mandi Lok Sabha by-poll, election commission has constituted State level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC).
Chief Electoral Officer Narender Chauhan, while revealing it said that the committee would examine and entertain complaints/ grievances of any political parties or candidates or any other person in regard to the decision to grant or refuse certification of advertisement on a Television Channel/Cable Network/Radio/ Video in connection with Lok Sabha Bye-Elections 2013 to 2-Mandi Parliamentary Constituency.
He said that the Chief Electoral Officer would be chairman of the committee and Observer, appointed by Election Commission of India, Station Director, Doordashan Kendra, Shimla, Director of Information and Public Relations Department and Assistant Director, News, All India Radio, Shimla as its Members, while Additional Chief Electoral Officer would be the Member Secretary of the Committee.
Chauhan said that Committee would decide appeal from both district and Additional/Jt. CEO Committees on certification of advertisement, besides examining all cases of Paid News on appeal against the decision of District MCMC or suo motu cases taken up, in which it would direct the concerned Returning Officers (ROs) to issue notices to the candidates.
