Commission has noted that NaMo TV/Content TV is a platform service offered by DTH operators offered to the BJP on a paid basis.
It has been confirmed that there has not been any pre-certification of the content being displayed on NaMo TV/Content TV, by the MCMC Committee.
As NaMo TV/Content is sponsored by a political party, all recorded programmes of a political party, all recorded programmes of political contents displayed on the channel/platform would be covered under the purview of the Commission’s order dated 15-04-2004 issued in pursuance of the order dated 13-4-2004 of Supreme Court in Secy., Ministry of Information and Broadcasting v. Gemini TV, (2004) 5 SCC 714. Accordingly, all political advertisements and all recorded programmes with political contents are mandatorily required to be pre-certified by MCMC before telecasting/displaying.
Further, any political publicity materials/contents, being displayed on electronic media without the requisite certification from the competent authority (MCMC in this case) should be removed immediately and any political content shall only be permitted strictly in accordance with ECI instructions in this regard.
[Order Dated: 11-04-2019]
Election Commission of India