Permission from Media Certification and Control Committee Required for Political Advertisements

Mumbai : All political parties, candidates, and individuals must obtain prior approval from the State Level Media Certification and Control Committee before airing or publishing political advertisements. This requirement was confirmed by the Chief Electoral Officer’s office, with the committee chaired by Dr. Kiran Kulkarni, Additional Chief Election Officer.

The regulations cover advertisements broadcast on television channels, cable networks, theaters, radio, private FM stations, and audio-video displays in public spaces, as well as publications in e-newspapers and bulk SMS/voice messages. Moreover, prior approval from the Media Certification and Control Committee is mandatory for advertisements published in print media on the day before polling and on the day of polling.

To facilitate the pre-certification of advertisements, a District Media Certification and Control Committee operates at the district level, while the State Pre-certification Committee functions at the state level. Candidates contesting elections must apply to the district committee for advertisements within their constituency’s jurisdiction, while registered political parties and organizations should seek certification from the state-level committee. The certification process follows the guidelines set by the Election Commission of India.

Political parties and candidates are prohibited from broadcasting political advertisements without approval from the respective district or state committees. So far, the State Pre-certification Committee has certified 169 advertisements at the state level.