By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Election department will constitute a committee to check and monitor the menace of paid news in the run up to the 2013 Assembly elections.
The committee will scrutinize the paid news as per the guidelines of Election Commission once the code of conduct comes into effect in the State, said the Chief Electoral Officer P Naik here on Wednesday.
“We will find out the guidelines pertaining to on paid news before forming the committee,” he said.
According to Naik, a candidate has to bear the expenditure for publishing or telecasting his advertisement and this will come under the purview of the election expenditure of the candidate.
The intention of the guidelines on paid news is to ensure free and fair polls and to restrict readers or viewers from getting influenced.
“Once the code of conduct comes into effect, we will also have to assess whether any particular news is unduly favouring a candidate without any facts,” Naik added.
As per a recent revised guideline of the Election Commission, the candidate should reply within 48 hours of receipt of the notices from the committee once the candidates are found to be indulging in paid news.