Fatehgarh Sahib, December 30, 2016: To conduct the coming Assembly elections in free and fair manner as well as in implementing the model code of conduct and Election Commission of India’s instructions in Toto, Media plays an important role and media persons must act in positive manner and help the administration, said Kamaldeep Singh Sangha Deputy Commissioner cum District Election Officer, while addressing the workshop organized for the members of Media Monitoring Cell and the correspondents of various print and electronic media at bachat Bhawan today. He told that election commission of India has fixed the expenditure limit of every candidate by Rs.28 Lakh and all the means adopted during campaigning may be flags, banners, rallies, print or electronic media advertisements, folk singers, tents, printing material and other material will be added to expenditure. He said that the name of the printer and publisher is must, if any banner or pamphlet found without any printing press name will be punished.
He said that to control the menace of paid news just to misguide the public a Media Monitoring Cell has been constituted and before getting any material published or printed the candidate must file self declaration with Returning Officer. He said any news found to be written one sided in favour of any candidate will be considered as paid news. He said that the candidate must inform about his social media accounts during filling of papers and the matter or advertisement at social media will be considered as paid news.
Ruhi Dugg IAS SDM Khamano cum expenditure nodal officer briefed the members about the paid news and other expenses.