MCMC Chairman directs Returning Officers to send notices to contesting candidates
Dr Badal kumar Tah, Rayagada, May 7: Rayagada District Election Officer-cum-Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan, who is also the Chairman of Media Certification & Monitoring Committee(MCMC) has directed Returning Officers of Rayagada, Gunupur & Bissam Cuttack assembly constituencies & Koraput parliamentary constituency to send notices to candidates contesting as MLAs & MP from different parties.
Kousalya Hikaka as BJD MP candidate from Koraput constituency, Anusuya Majhi, BJD MLA candidate from Rayagada, Raghunath Gomango, BJD candidate from Gunupur, Appalaswamy Kadraka, Congress candidate from Rayagada are going to get notices from their respective Returning Officers for putting advertisements in vernacular Odia dailies like Samaj, Sakal and Prameya without taking permission from MCMC. Except Anusuya, all other candidates have experience of contesting earlier. In spite of that they have violated model code of conduct(MCC).
Similar notices are also sent to District BJD President N Bhaskar Rao for publishing advertisements in Sambad & Dharitri. Tamarao Bidika, President, District Sarapancha Mahasangha is going to receive notice for illegally advertising in Sakala. Through these notices, all these people are asked to explain why the expenditure will not be booked against the contesting candidates. They will be further requested to take pre-certification from MCMC before advertising in any kind of print, electronic & social media.
DIPRO Basanta Pradhan and his colleagues compile related news violating MCMC. Then MCMC under the chairmanship of Collector Mahajan reviews all the press clippings, electronic & social media on a weekly basis and recommends necessary action. Recently MCMC has called a meeting of proprietors/editors of local web media, community radio, cinema hall, tv channels, etc and appraised about the do’s and do’nts & role of MCMC in adhering to Model Code of Conduct in the ensuing election.
