3. Compliance to Election Laws

The Election Commission does not regulate media. It has however, the responsibility to enforce the provisions of law or Court directions, which might have linkages with media or certain aspects of media functioning. During elections, media is present and active at all stages which would also mean that they too conform to various laws governing the elections. These laws are mentioned below:

(i) Section 126 of the Representation of the PeopIe Act, 1951: It prohibits displaying any election matter by mean of cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus, during the period of 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for conclusion of poll.

(ii) Section 126A of the Representation of the PeopIe Act, 1951: It prohibits conduct of exit poll and dissemination of their results during the period mentioned therein, i.e., the hour fixed for commencement of polls in the first phase and half hour after the time fixed for close of poll for the last phase in all the States and Union Territories.

(iii) Section 127A of the Representation of the PeopIe Act, 1951: The printing and publication of election pamphlets, posters, etc. is governed by its provisions, which make it mandatory to bear on its face the names and addresses of the printer and the publisher.

(iv) Section 171H of the Indian PenaI Code: It prohibits incurring of expenditure on, inter alia, advertisement without the authority of the contesting candidate.