Context

Two Opposition leaders were instructed to modify their speeches delivered on Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) during their allotted broadcast time leading up to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Rules for Political Parties to Use of State-funded Media During Polls

• Modifications to the Speech: References to the electoral bond scheme, “communal authoritarian regime” and “draconian laws”, had to be deleted and the term “bankruptcy” (of governance) had to be replaced with “failure”. 
• Compliance with ECI Regulations on State-Controlled Media Usage: It has been stated that the TV and radio networks were simply following rules set by the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the use of state-controlled media by recognised parties during elections. 
  • Prasar Bharati is India’s state-run public broadcaster and the parent organisation of Doordarshan and AIR.
• Background: The ECI allocated broadcast and telecast time to each of the six national parties — AAP, BSP, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, and Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party — and 59 state parties for the 2024 elections. 
  • For national parties, out of the 10 hours prescribed, a total of 4.5 hours (45 minutes each) was allocated in both Doordarshan and AIR. 
  • The remaining 5.5 hours was further allocated on the basis of voteshare in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Similar formulae was followed while allocating time to state parties.

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Rules to use State-funded Media During Elections

• About: Recognised political parties have been allowed to freely use state-owned television and radio during polls since the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. 
• Allocation of time on state media: The ECI decides how much time each recognised national and state party will be allotted prior to the start of the election campaign.

• • National Parties: All put together, they get a minimum of 10 hours of telecasting time on Doordarshan’s national channel, and at least 15 hours on its regional channels. 
    • They also get 10 hours of broadcasting time on the national hook-up of AIR and 15 hours of broadcasting on regional AIR stations. 
  • State Parties: All put together, they get a minimum of 30 hours of telecasting time on the appropriate regional Doordarshan channel and AIR radio station.

Guidelines on Speeches’ Contents

• Pre-Approval of Party Speeches: Parties and their speakers are expected to submit transcripts of their speeches three to four days before recording. These have to be approved by the concerned authorities in the respective AIR and Doordarshan stations.
• The ECI’s guidelines forbid: 
  • Criticism of other countries
  • Attack on religions or communities
  • Anything obscene or defamatory
  • Incitement of violence
  • Anything amounting to contempt of court
  • Aspersions against the integrity of the President and judiciary
  • Anything affecting the unity, sovereignty and integrity of the nation
  • Any criticism by name of any person”.

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