Summary:
It can also direct the concerned returning officer to issue notice to the candidates or political parties. SHILLONG: With the assembly elections approaching, the district election officer, East Khasi Hills , on Friday met the members of the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee ( MCMC ), returning officers and local cable network operators for a briefing on the Election Commission of India 's instructions regarding the use of social media in election campaign. "In the meeting, the district election officer, while explaining the functions of the MCMC, which examines complaints or issues of paid news through a monitoring arrangement that will scan the print media, electronic media, cable network, etc., said that self regulation by the media and stakeholders is needed to ensure elimination of all such instances. Headed by the state's chief electoral officer FR Kharkongor , the committee has been mandated to decide appeals on certification of advertisement, as per ECI's instructions, to examine all cases of paid news and to take up suo moto action. It also reiterated on the strict use of existing mechanisms to curb the menace of paid news in the electoral process," an official statement said.In November last year, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had constituted the state-level committee in Meghalaya to check the menace of paid news and ensure that assembly elections are conducted in a fair manner..