New Delhi : The Election Commission of India has announced guidelines under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, for allocating broadcast and telecast time to recognised national and state political parties on Doordarshan and All India Radio during the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
As part of the process, digital time vouchers have been distributed via an IT platform to all eligible political parties across the five poll-bound regions. The broadcast window will begin from the date of finalisation of contesting candidates in each phase and continue until 48 hours before polling. The exact schedule will be determined in advance through a draw of lots conducted at the State/UT level, in the presence of party representatives and officials from the respective Chief Electoral Officer’s office.
Under the scheme, each recognised party will receive a standard allocation of 45 minutes of free airtime on both Doordarshan and All India Radio through regional channels. Additional airtime will be granted based on the party’s performance in previous Assembly elections in the concerned State or Union Territory.
Political parties must submit their recordings and transcripts ahead of schedule, ensuring full compliance with prescribed guidelines. Content can be produced either in studios meeting the technical norms set by Prasar Bharati or at designated Doordarshan and AIR centres.
Besides individual party broadcasts, Prasar Bharati will also host up to two panel discussions or debates on its platforms, where each eligible party can nominate a representative. These programmes will be conducted under the supervision of an approved moderator.