Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a function for distribution of e-rickshaws and pedal rickshaws to help impoverished families with sustainable livelihood in his constituency Varanasi on Friday. (Press Trust of India photo)
The Election Commission yesterday gave the go-ahead to the airing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' programme on Sunday, provided nothing is said that may be construed as inducement to voters or having an impact on poll-bound Bihar where model code of conduct is in force.
EC issued the order in response to a clarification sought by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on the issue on September 15.
The Commission said it also has no objection to pre-broadcast publicity through different channels of AIR and Doordarshan.
"...the Commission has no objection to the broadcast of the programme 'Mann ki Baat' over All India Radio on September 20, 2015 and the pre-broadcast publicity through different channels of AIR and Doordarshan subject to the condition that nothing be said therein that may be construed as inducement to voters or as having any impact in election-bound state of Bihar where the Model Code of Conduct is in force from September 9 to November 12, 2015," EC's Principal Secretary K Ajaya Kumar said in the order addressed to I and B Ministry Special Secretary J S Mathur.
The Commission has thus rejected a demand made by anti-BJP grand alliance that the PM's programme be suspended till the elections in Bihar are over.