EC clears ‘Mann Ki Baat’ but conditions apply

“…the Commission has no objection to the broadcast of the programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ over All India Radio on 20th September, 2015 and the pre-broadcast publicity through different channels of AIR and Doordarshan subject to the condition that nothing be said therein that may be construed as inducement to voters or as having any impact in election bound state of Bihar where the model code of conduct is in force from 9th September 2015 to 12th November 2015,” said the EC in a communication to the Information & Broadcasting Ministry.

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The grand alliance of JD(U), RJD and Congress recently approached the EC seeking suspension of the radio show till completion of assembly elections in Bihar, saying that “permitting” Modi to use the “official mass media” will give him and the BJP an “unfair advantage” as it will “upset the level playing field” essential in elections.

“A team of six government officials work round the clock solely to organise the programme broadcast,” they had said. “Permitting the Prime Minister to use the official mass media with nudge to the private mass media to relay the programme on 20th September will be in complete negation of the model code of conduct,” they had argued demanding its cancellation and issuance of orders “to not hold similar events during the operation of the code of conduct”.

In response to a separate complaint alleging that the BJP had booked four special trains and carried its workers from Patna to Mumbai, Raipur, Bhopal and Jaipur — capitals of BJP-ruled states — and back and the railways had offered them a 60 per cent concession on the cost of tickets, the EC told the railways ministry that “no special concessions be allowed” for any special train “leaving from any station in Bihar or coming to any station in Bihar from outside the state without prior permission”. It said the permission be sought till the period of the model code from September 9 to November 12.