Mumbai: The Election Commission of India sent a notice to the CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena for running surrogate advertisements in a bid to campaign for the party through serials on a Marathi TV channel. The EC notice sought a detailed statement from the party on the matter regarding the said complaint to this office within next 24 hours. This action follows a complaint lodged by Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant, as mentioned in the notice.
What Does The EC Notice Say?
As per the EC notice, some serials on Star Pravah channel such as Matichya Chuli and Premacha Chaha ran surrogate ads by the party for their campaigning of Shinde Sena. The notice also alleged the possibility of the party paying some amount for the said advertisements for campaigning in a hidden way by showing the party's street advertisements in them.
Election Commission's Role
Under the Model Code of Conduct, all election-related expenditures, including advertising costs, must be transparently reported. The Election Commission imposes strict limits on the amount candidates can spend on campaigning and requires detailed disclosures. The EC’s notice seeks to determine whether any financial exchanges occurred for such covert promotions and whether they breached electoral regulations.
Political Complaints & EC Action
It is common for political parties to file complaints against each other with the Election Commission during elections. Once a complaint is received, the EC can take note, issue notices, or initiate investigations as deemed appropriate. In this case, the Congress complaint has prompted the EC to examine whether Shinde's Shiv Sena violated the rules by engaging in undisclosed campaign activities via TV serials.
