Chandigarh: Chief Election Commissioner SY
Quraishi on Thursday called for a "complete check" on the menace of
paid news during polls and emphasised on keeping a track on
the expenditure record of candidates.
Quraishi, addressing a conference of Chief Electoral
Officers (CEO) of the states organised at Faridabad, said it
had been observed that some candidates, "in connivance with
the media groups", showed highly priced advertisements to be
of much lesser price to "minimise" their poll expenditure.
He said during the recent Assembly elections in five
states, it was brought to notice that the candidates got
advertisements published as news items which created
suspicion.
"This (paid news) should be completely checked," he said.
Quraishi also advocated the need to keep tab on the
expenditure record of candidates within a specific time period
so that the candidature of those found violating the rules
"could be cancelled".
He directed the CEOs to update information of their state
on the Commission's website.
Quraishi asked the officials to speed up enrolment of
candidates who have just completed 18 years of age.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, April 12, 2012, 19:23