Digital time vouchers
Context:
In a recent development, the Election Commission of India has taken the decision to distribute digital time vouchers to National and State political parties for their election campaigning on Doordarshan and All India Radio.
About:
1. The Election Commission of India has introduced a scheme involving digital time vouchers for election campaigning on Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR).
2. The digital time vouchers are distributed to both National and State political parties through an advanced Information Technology (IT) platform, ensuring efficiency and transparency.
3. Different denominations of time vouchers, such as 5 minutes and 10 minutes, are provided to each party, equivalent to the total allotted time for telecasts on Doordarshan and broadcasts on AIR.
4. Parties can choose representatives to utilize the time vouchers, but there’s a cap of 20 minutes per individual representative to promote diversity and inclusivity in campaign messaging.
5. The scheme is based on a statutory foundation under Section 39A of the Representation of People Act, 1951, with the aim of ensuring fair access to government-owned electronic media for election campaigning.
6. Both National and Recognized State Parties receive equitable base time on DD & AIR, with additional time allotted based on their past performance in previous assembly elections or general elections to Lok Sabha.
7. The specific date and time for telecasts/broadcasts are determined through an intriguing lottery process conducted by the Prasar Bharati Corporation in consultation with the Election Commission and political party representatives.
8. The introduction of digital time vouchers represents a significant leap forward in election campaigning, enhancing communication opportunities for parties with the public.
9. The scheme’s fair and transparent allocation of time vouchers encourages parties to utilize a broader spectrum of representatives, fostering inclusivity in their campaign strategies.
10. By promoting diversity and providing equal opportunities, this innovative initiative by the Election Commission strengthens the democratic process and facilitates effective communication between political parties and voters on government-owned media platforms.
