West Bengal polls: EC bans political ads in print media for second phase

New Delhi: The Election Commission has barred political parties and candidates in West Bengal from giving any print media advertisement on April 16 and 17 for the second phase of the assembly polls without pre-certification.

The polling for the second phase of the assembly elections in the state will be held on April 17.

In a letter to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer, the EC said that instances of advertisements of offending and misleading nature published in the print media have been brought to the notice of the commission in the past.

It said such advertisements in the last stage of elections vitiate the election, and the affected candidates and parties will not have opportunity of providing clarification and rebuttal in such cases.

It said direction should also be issued to all news papers in the state that they will not publish any advertisement in the print media on both days, which has not been certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee.