Lok Sabha Election 2019: Election Commission restricts NaMo TV from airing political content

As India has entered the election season with first phase completing successfully on Thursday, the poll watchdog has barred the NaMo TV from airing political content on its platform, after the Opposition complained of breaching the Model Code of Conduct.

The Election Commission, which had earlier stayed the release of PM Narendra Modi biopic, after the Supreme Court’s verdict transferring the ball in the Commissions hand, and now, they have restrained the 24-hour channel to air the political content which is not certified.

“As NaMo TV/Content TV is sponsored by a political party, all recorded programmes of political contents displayed on the channel/platform would be covered under the purview of the Commission's Order,” the order stated by the Election Commission.

The letter by the poll watchdog further added that “Any political publicity materials/contents, being displayed on electronic media without the requisite certification from competent authority (MCMC in this case) should be removed immediately and any political content shall only be permitted strictly in accordance with the ECI instructions in this regard.”

With the announcement of schedule for the General Election on March 10, the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, but the Opposition parties including Congress and AAP complained to the Election Commission about channel being used as a tool to advertise and propagate political content of the BJP. The EC had said that the polling will take place between April 11 and May 19 with seven phases and the result will be announced on May 23.

The next phase of election is scheduled to take place on April 18.

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