The Election Commission of India has directed that instances of advertisements of offending and misleading nature published in print media have been brought to the notice of the Commission in the past. In order to ensure that such instances are not repeated, the Commission, in exercise of its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution and all other powers enabling it in this behalf,  has directed that no political party or candidate or any other organization or person shall publish any advertisement in the print media on poll day and one day prior to poll day, unless the contents of political advertisements are got pre-certified by them from the MCMC Committee at the State/District level, as the case may be. It stated that it will apply in the case of political advertisements to be published in the print media in circulation in the States/UTs going to poll in the phases as given below:

The ECI also informed that the applicants mentioned above shall have to apply to MCMC not later than 02(two) days prior to the proposed date of publication of advertisement.

The Commission further directed that in order to facilitate the process of pre-certification of the newspaper advertisements and as instructed above, MCMC at State/district level be immediately alerted and activated in order to examine and pre-certify all such advertisements received from the political parties and candidates and others. It should also be ensured that the decision by MCMC is made expeditiously.

The above direction of the Commission is also being brought to the notice of Presidents of all political parties, contesting candidates and newspapers in the States and also to all media of mass communication for general information and strict compliance.

 These directions shall come into force immediately.