Chief Electoral Officer Haryana, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal informed that the Election Commission of India has fixed time for recognized national and regional political parties to conduct their election campaigns through the regional centers of Doordarshan and All India Radio for the Haryana Assembly elections.Sh Pankaj Agarwal informed that the Election Commission has allotted time to 6 national and 2 regional political parties of Haryana.
He informed that the national parties include Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya People's Party and Aam Aadmi Party. Apart from this, regional parties include Indian National Lok Dal and Jannayak Janata Party. He informed that the Commission had permitted free use of television and radio for campaigning in the 1998 general election, and subsequently extended it to the state legislative assembly/general elections.
With the amendments in the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Election and other Related Laws (Amendment) Act, 2003 and the rules notified thereunder, equal time sharing for campaigning on electronic media by recognized political parties has become statutory. Therefore, the Commission has permitted the said scheme of equal time sharing on electronic media through Prasar Bharati Corporation to be used in the Haryana Legislative Assembly general election, 2024.
The Chief Electoral Officer informed that a total time of 720 minutes each has been allotted to the political parties for campaigning on All India Radio and Doordarshan. He also provided the details of the allotted time slots for the national parties on All India Radio and Doordarshan:
Bharatiya Janata Party has been allocated 197 minutes, Indian National Congress 162 minutes, Communist Party of India (Marxist) 45 minutes, Bahujan Samaj Party 62 minutes, Rashtriya People's Party 45 minutes, and Aam Aadmi Party 47 minutes. Among the regional parties, Indian National Lok Dal has been given 55 minutes, while Jannayak Janata Party has been allotted 107 minutes.
The broadcast duration will be from the date the list of candidates is published until two days before the polling date
Sh Pankaj Agarwal said that each national and recognized state party has been allocated a base time of 45 minutes, which is equally available at the regional centers of Doordarshan and All India Radio in Haryana. The additional time granted to each party by the Commission is based on their performance in the previous assembly elections in Haryana.
He also said that no party will be allotted more than 15 minutes in a single broadcast session. The broadcast and telecast period will be from the date of publication of the candidate list until two days before the polling day in Haryana.
Political parties will have to follow the guidelines set by the Commission for broadcasting
The Chief Electoral Officer said that political parties must adhere to the guidelines set by the Commission for broadcasting. He said that parties will have to submit their transcripts and recordings in advance.
Alternatively, they can arrange to have their recordings made at the Doordarshan and Akashvani studios by requesting in advance.
Criticism of other countries, religions, communities and individuals is not allowed in broadcasts
He said that as per the ECI guidelines, criticism of other countries, discussions on religions or communities, obscenity, insults, incitement to violence, contempt of court, attacks on the integrity of the President and judiciary, anything undermining national unity, sovereignty, and integrity, and any criticism directed at individuals by name will not be allowed in the broadcasts on Doordarshan and Akashvani.