Cracking down on anonymous political hoardings, the Election Commission (EC) has sought the disclosure of names of their publishers and printers for traceability and accountability.
Disclosure of identity of publishers was crucial for “regulating campaign financing and fixing of responsibility in case the content is found unbecoming of the framework of the Model Code of Conduct or the statutory provisions, the poll body said.
In a letter to Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories on April 10, the EC directed them to ensure clear identification of printers and publishers on printed election-related material, including hoardings, for accountability and transparency in campaign communications.
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The decision was taken by the commission after it received representations stating that hoardings without the identity of the printer or publisher had been found in spaces controlled by municipal authorities.
Section 127A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, unequivocally prohibits the printing or publishing of election pamphlets, posters, placards, or banners without prominently displaying the name and address of the printer and publisher.
In the letter to the Chief Secretaries, the EC asked them to bring the poll body’s instructions – including those issued in 2004 and 2007 on the topic – to the notice of all municipal or other authorities responsible for hoardings, posters, banners etc. “for strict compliance”. The Chief Electoral Officers were also told to convey this to all political parties in their States for “strict compliance”.
“With this directive, the commission now has put the accountability on printers, publishers, and licencees/contractors of urban local bodies renting out outdoor advertising space, for political advertisements published on outdoor media,” it said.
