The Election Commission today directed the Central Government to refrain from releasing advertisements highlighting its achievements, projects and programmes in the five states going to polls.Calling the recent spurt of advertisements released by the NDA Government in the print media and television ‘‘a clear violation’’ of the model code of conduct which came into effect on October 6, the Commission has written a strongly-worded letter to the Cabinet Secretary putting a ban on such ads.In the note which was also sent to the I&B Secretary, the Commission said this provided an undue advantage to the party in power and has the effect of influencing the voters in its favour. ‘‘It has come to the notice of the Commission that a number of advertisements overtly and covertly depicting the achievements of the party in power at the Centre are being displayed through newspaper advertisements and TV spots at the cost of the public exchequer. These advertisements.have been issued at this juncture with an eye on the coming elections,’’ the Commission told the Government.‘‘With the announcement of elections on October 6, the model code of conduct came into force immediately. The display of such advertisements at the cost of the public exchequer constitutes a clear violation of the code,’’ it said.The EC directive came a day after I&B Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad brushed aside charges that the ads marking completion of four years of the NDA Government were in violation of the code.The Commission pointed out that the advertisements were also appearing in newspaper editions in the five states going to polls. Though the advertisements extol ostensibly either the achievements of the Government or announce projects to be taken up in parts of the country where elections are not being held, the Commission said it seemed to have been issued at this juncture with an eye on the coming elections.Citing certain sections of the code, the EC said, ‘‘The party in power, whether at the Centre or in the state or states concerned, shall ensure that no cause is given for any complaint that it has used its official position for the purpose of its election campaign.’’In this regard, the EC said it is tantamount to ‘‘misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news, and publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power shall be scrupulously avoided’’. The Commission also directed the Government not to release any ads on achievements/events taking place in the states which are not going to elections.
