The EC on Wednesday said that it is working on guidelines for the electronic media to ensure a level playing field for political parties that own television channels and those that cannot boast of having one.
Addressing a press conference here, Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, flanked by the other two commissioners, Mr V.S. Sampath and Mr H.S. Brahma, said, “In some of the states which went to polls, most of the channels are owned by political parties.”
Noting that parties that have channels of their own would change the complexion of the game, the CEC said that the EC was examining on how to go about evolving a policy on it. He said, “We also examining whether using your own channel for unlimited publicity, how to account for expenses.”
We are examining. Before the next elections, we will have some policy in place.”
Admitting that it was a difficult issue, Mr Sampath said that the EC didn’t want to act in a hurry. “We are considering it and some guidelines are being evolved. We don’t want to do anything in a haste,” he said.
This observation of the EC holds particular significance to political parties in Tamil Nadu as all the major parties own a channel.