No opportunity to publish ads without permission: Hephsiba

Udupi: In the backdrop of the upcoming elections, prior compulsory permission is required from the Media Monitoring Cell (MMC) to publish any advertisement of any political party and candidate on local cable network. Action will be taken against any channel violating this rule, informed District Election Officer Hephsiba Rani Korlapati speaking at a meeting conducted under her leadership for the leaders of the local cable network on Saturday.

Since the expenses of every political party and candidate is under scrutiny all cable providers must charge the election related ads as per the rate decided by the district administration. 3 days before the publishing of the ads, the operator must submit an application in the prescribed format and only after the inspection and clearance from the MMC can the advertisements be published, she explained.

Facilities have been made to watch all the programmes being aired on the cable network 24×7. All of it will also be recorded, she said.