Manipur election 2017: Election body orders FIR against state BJP office bearers, 8 newspapers

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday ordered registration of  a First Information Report or FIR against office bearers “concerned” of Manipur BJP for publishing an advertisement without the requisite approval from the certification panel ahead of the first phase of assembly elections in the state.

On the basis of a report by poll authorities in Manipur, it also directed the state chief electoral officer get FIRs filed against eight newspapers for publishing the election advertisement.

The Commission identified the papers as Sangai Express — Manipuri and English editions — Poknapham, People’s Chronicle, Naharolgi, Thoudang, Imphal free press, Echel Express and Huiyen Lanpao.

While there is no bar on the publication of election advertisements 48 hours before the polling, a rule introduced by the Commission during the Bihar assembly polls says that such advertisements should be cleared by a certification committee.

It states that without approval no newspaper will publish such advertisements.

The new rule came after the BJP brought out some controversial advertisements during the Bihar elections.