The Election Commission on Wednesday asked the Rajasthan Congress for an explanation on the advertisements issued in mainstream newspapers which were “designed” to look like a news item.
Terming the advertisements as “misleading”, the election authority said they were aimed at creating confusion in the minds of voters.
The ECI’s notice came after the BJP on Tuesday lodged a complaint regarding an advertisement issued by the Congress party, which appeared below the masthead in some dailies. The advertisement in Hindi read: ‘Rajasthan mein Congress ki lehar (Congress wave in Rajasthan)’.
A delegation led by senior BJP leader and Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya complained that the placement of the advertisement was aimed at creating an impression that it was a story or opinion “published by the newspaper agency after a survey”.
In its notice to the Congress on Wednesday, the ECI said: “It appears that the advertisements have been designed to look like a news item with a view to disorient the electors. It is not only misleading but also seems aimed at causing a confusion in the minds of voters regarding the outcome of the election thereby attempting to disturb the level playing field”.
The poll body pointed out that the Congress had itself in March 2021 complained against another national party when that party had utilised a ‘sky bus’ advertisement format which could be confused for a news headline.
“In the present series of political advertisements in Rajasthan by the INC [Indian National Congress], it is noticeable that the design and content of the impugned advertisements are missing the Election Symbol which was clearly prominent in the previous incident referred above. Therefore further obfuscation is in play and as assessed by INC in its representation of March 28, 2021, the concern of distortion on level playing field is even more exaggerated,” the ECI said.
“Therefore, I am directed to seek your explanation on the said complaint by 3 PM tomorrow and in the interim refrain from utilizing this format, content, language and placement of advertisement which as per your own party’s complaint of March 28, 2021 violates the spirit of the Representation of People Act and Model Code of Conduct both designed to ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders,” the ECI’s notice, which was issued to the Rajasthan State Congress president, said.
