Cong complains to ECI about Mahayuti’s ‘covert ads’

Maharashtra Congress has filed a complaint with the ECI, alleging covert advertising by the Mahayuti alliance on TV serials, demanding an investigation.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress has complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) that the ruling Mahayuti alliance is doing covert advertising through television serials.

Cong complains to ECI about Mahayuti’s ‘covert ads’

Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant met state chief electoral officer S Chokalingam on Friday and lodged the complaint. Sawant said that Mahayuti’s advertisement was openly shown on Star Pravah’s Marathi serial, ‘Gharoghari Matichya Chuli’, which was aired on Wednesday and re-aired at 12 noon and 4 pm on Thursday. Similarly, he said, another commercial was shown on another serial, Prema Chi Gosht’, and most likely in other serials as well. He alleged that the advertisement was played in-between the switching of scenes.

Disney Hotstar, however, aired the episodes of the serials but removed the advertisements, Sawant said.

“Mahayuti is not only morally corrupt, but also shows no regard for democracy, the Constitution, or the Election Commission. The Election Commission must find out how many such crooked tricks have been used by the alliance. We strongly condemn this blatant abuse of moral code of conduct and demand filing of an FIR,” Sawant said.

The Election Commission has said that they will look into the complaints.

It has also set up an Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) to monitor election-related news telecasts on television channels. The ECI will monitor all news on the eve of polling day and on the day of polling and will take action if any violation is found.