Stop poll programmes 2 days ahead of polls: EC

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 3: The Election Commission has directed the visual media and All India Radio not to telecast or broadcast any election related programme during the 48-hour period preceding the polls in each phase of the Assembly elections in Kerala.

The State Chief Electoral Officer Nalini Netto has instructed that all election related telecast or broadcast, such as debates, surveys, advertisements and propaganda should be stopped 48 hours before the close of polls in the first phase. The elections to the first phase would be held on April 22.

The broadcast or telecast could be resumed after 0500 hours on April 22 for the next phases and continue till April 27, two days before the second phase of polls.

This could be resumed for the next phase of elections after the close of polls on April 29, she said in a release here. The final phase of elections is on May 3.

The clarification had been issued, following doubts raised by the media over the implementation of this restriction in a three phased poll, as the telecast or broadcast of election related programmes could not be be restricted to any particular area in the state.

UNI