NEW DELHI, March 22 � In what could perhaps be the first complaint of paid news in Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday called upon the Election Commission (EC) to stop telecast of paid news in the channel News Live.
A BJP delegation led by its vice president Mukthar Abbas Naqvi, submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner demanding a ban on the channel from telecasting any type of programme till the elections are over in Assam.
The party further called for an independent inquiry against the News Live channel and issuance of proper directions to the State Election Commission to monitor the channel and its programming to prevent paid news from taking place. The party has submitted a CD of the programmes telecast by the channel to buttress its claim.
The BJP has alleged that the Congress is misusing the TV news channel for telecasting biased news, which amounts to paid news to influence the voters of the State.
Election Commission has taken note of the fact that paid news is a serious electoral malpractice and for that it has issued certain directions to the State Election Commission to closely monitor poll-related media reports.
Alleging serious malpractices by the Congress in Assam vide paid news telecast in the channel, the BJP has charged that managing director of the channel is Rinki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Minister in the Congress Government, Himanta Biswa Sarma who is contesting the election from the Jalukbari constituency.
The BJP has alleged that the channel is currently running as an agent of Congress and screening programmes of Congress and openly canvassing for them , which is nothing but clear malpractice of �paid news�.
