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Patna,(BiharTimes): Following repeated allegations of paid news in Bihar the Election Commission has said that any departure from the guidelines of the Press Council of India will attract prima facie investigation.
A district level committee comprising a district electoral officer, along with the district public relation officer and an independent citizen or journalist as recommended by the Press Council, will keep a tab on paid news during the elections.
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All the chief electoral officers of the state has been communicated through a letter last week. The district level committee will also have an officer from the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry, subject to availability.
The Commission letter circulated the Press Council’s guidelines against paid news. The letter reminded the chief electoral officers that “any news or analysis appearing in any media (print and electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration” as described by the Council will be treated as paid news.
Any departure from the guidelines should make a case for prima facie investigation of paid news.
It needs to be recalled that the Press Council had finalised its report on paid news on July 30 last and submitted its recommendations to the commission last month.
Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quriashi, in a letter to the chairman of the Press Council last week, had requested him to provide a district-wise list of independent journalists or citizens for inclusion in the committees to scrutinise instances of paid news.
Of late paid news has become quite common in Bihar and the ruling alliance has repeatedly been accused of misusing it for its own advantage.
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