Hyderabad, April 11: The Chief Electoral Officer, Mr I.V. Subba Rao, on Saturday said TV channels were barred from telecasting poll-related programmes like interviews, discussions and poll analyses and surveys that could influence voters 48-hour before polling day.
Even animation programmes that could influence voters should not be screened, the CEO said.
“The rule applies even to national channels. During this period, national channels are not allowed to telecast such programmes about Andhra Pradesh,” he added.
Mr Rao explained that with the first phase polling scheduled for April 16, TV channels would not even be allowed to air poll-related analyses of seats going to the polls on April 23.
“That means channels can resume telecast of political programmes from the evening of April 16 and continue it till 5 pm of April 21,” he said.
According to him, Section 126 (3) of the Representation of People’s Act bars electronic media to screen any type of poll related programmes which influence voters or affect the poll outcome.
Failure to comply would mean imprisonment up to two years or fine or both, he said.
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