201 candidates admit to paid news
Friday, 10/02/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120210/punjab.htm#5
As many as 201 assembly poll candidates across the state have confessed to having inserted paid news in the media and have agreed to add the expenditure incurred in their shadow registers.
These candidates admitted to have prevailed upon newspapers offices by paying them money after the Election Commission issued notices to 279 candidates. The matter was highlighted by the EC’s media monitoring committees, which were keeping a hawk’s eye on the unfair practices being followed by the candidates.
Operational in 22 districts, these committees reported 372 cases of paid news. The EC then decided to issue notices to 279 candidates, of which 73 candidates denied having inserted the paid news and 36 even contested the notices issued to them.
“Their objections have been sent to the Chief Election Commissioner who will decide on the future course of action,” said Rajkamal Chowdhry, Joint Chief Election Officer of Punjab.
Chowdhry said Mansa topped the 22 districts with as many as 64 cases of paid news reported by the committees, of which 57 were issued notices and 27 challenged the notice issued to them.
Amritsar trailed behind Mansa with 40 candidates being issued notices of the total 47 cases reported. Three districts, including Moga, Mohali and Fazilka, did not report any instance of paid news. Chowdhry said no prominent candidate was found to have inserted the paid news in any newspaper.
