MP Law Minister penalised for paid news

New Delhi/Bhopal: Election Commission has detected instances of "paid news" in favour of Madhya Pradesh Law Minister Narottam Mishra in the run-up to the Assembly election for which Rs 42,000 have been added to his poll expenses.

Mishra, who is also Parliamentary Affairs Minister, is contesting from the Datia Assembly constituency and the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) constituted by the Commission in the district found reportage of the Minister in local newspapers on November 1 as `paid news`. The MCMC found the reports to be in favour of the minister who is contesting the polls on a BJP ticket. The authorities of the committee have included and added an amount of Rs 42,640. 60 into the expenditure accounts of Mishra and a report in this regard has been shared with the EC both in Bhopal and Delhi and also with the Income Tax department. Mishra is already contesting `paid news` charges after the EC in Delhi had issued him notices in this regard for the Assembly polls of 2008. The state will vote tomorrow.