EC seeks response from DD & AIR on how they sourced PM Modi’s Mission Shakti address

EC could take action against DD for violating the Model Code of Conduct if the address was directly broadcast by it, but not if it was sourced from YouTube.

Headquarters of the Election Commission in New Delhi | Representational image | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

New Delhi: The Election Commission has sought responses from public broadcasters Doordarshan (DD) and All India Radio (AIR), asking how they sourced the feed of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mission Shakti’ address Wednesday.

The EC’s deputy commissioner Sandeep Saxena said Thursday that the poll panel is also exploring whether it can seek a response from YouTube on the matter.

EC sources had told ThePrint that DD is likely to have taken the feed from YouTube, which would not amount to a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. However, a controversy erupted Thursday when ThePrint reported that DD News had shot the video but had not used its logo, on the orders of the PMO, to circumvent the MCC.

While AIR is already learnt to have filed its response to the EC, DD is yet to file its reply. Sources had told ThePrint that AIR had said the video was sourced from DD.

What constitutes a violation?

The EC would be in a position to take action against DD for violating the code of conduct only if the address was directly broadcast by it. However, if DD had sourced it from YouTube, there would be no violation since the MCC does not prohibit a public broadcaster from borrowing feeds from another source, an EC official said.

The fourth point under the ‘Party in Power’ section of the MCC says: “…Misuse of official mass media during the election period for partisan coverage of political news & publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power shall be scrupulously avoided.”