New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) As the campaigning gathers pace in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday allotted digital vouchers to both national and state parties for free telecast time on the two leading national broadcasters – Doordarshan (DD) and All India Radio (AIR).

The digital vouchers facilitate political parties (national parties and recognised state parties) to use limited ‘free time’ on the state-owned television and radio channels for campaigning and expanding reach to the masses on their respective poll promises.

The digital time vouchers have been issued to all national and state political parties in Bihar for the Legislative Assembly elections, under Section 39A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Under the policy, free broadcasting and telecasting facilities of base time of 45 minutes have been allotted on both Doordarshan and All India Radio, for each party to be uniformly provided on the regional network within the state.

Additional time could be allotted to the parties, based on their poll performance in the last Assembly elections.

Issuing the guidelines, the ECI said, “The broadcast/telecast period will be scheduled between the date of publication of the list of contesting candidates in each phase and two days before the date of poll in Bihar. The actual broadcast/telecast will be scheduled in advance through a draw of lots in the presence of authorised representatives of the parties and officials from the office of the CEO, Bihar.”

The ECI guidelines mandate that the political parties submit the transcripts and recordings in advance, strictly adhering to the relevant guidelines, and the recordings may be made in studios meeting the technical standards as prescribed by Prasar Bharati.

“Prasar Bharati Corporation will organise up to two panel discussions and/or debates on Doordarshan and All India Radio for Bihar. Each eligible party may nominate one representative for the programme, which will be moderated by an approved coordinator,” an ECI release said.

–IANS

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