New Delhi: All India Radio and Doordarshan will now allocate time to political parties online during elections. The Election Commission of India has modified the existing scheme for the use of government-owned electronic media by political parties. A new provision has been introduced to issue digital time vouchers through an Information Technology (IT) platform. This eliminates the need for political parties to physically collect time vouchers from the ECI/CEO Offices. This step demonstrates the Commission’s commitment to utilizing technology for the improvement of the electoral process and the convenience of all stakeholders.
Acknowledging technological advancements, the Commission has implemented IT-based options for interaction with political parties. Recently, a web portal was launched for the online submission of financial accounts by political parties to the Election Commission.
The scheme, originally notified on January 16, 1998, has a statutory basis under Section 39A of the R.P. Act, 1951. It was formulated after extensive consultations with recognized National and State Parties to ensure fair access to government-owned electronic media during election campaigns. National and Recognized State Parties in each state have been granted an equal base time on DD & AIR, with additional time allotted based on the parties’ performance in the last assembly elections in the respective States/UT or the last general Elections to Lok Sabha.
The specific date and time for telecasts/broadcasts by authorized party representatives are determined through a randomized process involving the Prasar Bharati Corporation, the ECI, and political party representatives.
The implementation of an IT-based platform for the issuance and distribution of time vouchers to eligible political parties enables a more efficient and streamlined process, enhancing accessibility and user-friendliness for the parties involved.
