New Delhi:18 Jan 2013

The Election Commission on Friday allotted broadcast and telecast time to political parties for carrying out their campaigns on Doordarshan and All India Radio for coming Assembly Elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.

The Commission has decided to extend equitable time sharing for campaigning on the electronic media through Prasar Bharati Corporation. The use of broadcast and telecast time will be available only to national parties and recognised state parties.

This facility will be available from Regional Kendras of All India Radio and Doordarshan in the headquarters of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura and relayed by other stations within the respective states.

The Commission has said a base time of 45 minutes will be given to each national party and recognised state party uniformly on the Regional Kendra of Doordarshan network and All India Radio network in these states.

Additional time has been allotted to parties on the basis of their performance in the last polls, it said.

No party will, however, be allocated more than 15 minutes in a single session of broadcast and time vouchers will be issued in the denomination of five minutes to each of the six national parties - Congress, BJP, BSP, CPI, CPI-M and NCP, besides three state parties - United Democratic Front (UDP), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and Naga People's Front (NPF).

The period of broadcast and telecast will be between the last date of filing the nominations and will end two days before the date of poll in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.

"There will, however, be no telecast or broadcast during the 48 hours preceding the close of polls as per specific provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1951," the Commission said in an order.

source:zeenews