The Information and Broadcast Ministry has sought time until 5 April to reply to the Election Commission’s notice on the issue flagged by Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for violating the Model Code of Conduct.
The I&B Ministry has said that it needs more time to ascertain facts as NaMo TV is a DTH platform.
The Election Commission has sought details of Namo TV from the I&B Ministry after the issue was flagged by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party which wanted to know whether political parties having own channels was violative of the model code of conduct.
The Commission, among other issues, is learnt to have asked the ministry about details of the launch of the channel.
The channel, also called 'Content TV', carries the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its logo. It was launched ahead of Lok Sabha polls beginning 11 April. It is available on various DTH and cable TV platforms.
It shows speeches of the PM and interviews of BJP leaders.
The AAP had recently written to the EC complaining against Namo TV, asking the poll panel if political parties having TV channels was in adherence to the model code of conduct.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party asked the EC if the BJP had sought approval for the launch of the channel, which has Prime Minister Modi's photograph on its logo and runs all his speeches.
“Can permission be granted to a party to have its own TV channel even after the model code is enforced? If no permission was given by the ECI, then what action has been taken?,” the AAP said in its letter to the poll panel.
It had also asked if the Bharatiya Janata Party had approached the Media Certification Committee, established to certify content and cost of a telecast.
The Congress had also moved the poll panel over the channel, saying it was violative of the poll code and the Representation of the People Act.
The EC has also learnt to have written separately to Dordarshan for telecasting live the ‘Main bhi chowkidar’ programme of Modi on 31 March evening for one hour.
The Congress had written to EC against the BJP's alleged "misuse" of Doordarshan in broadcasting certain speeches by Prime Minister Modi.
The Congress has called for a level playing field for all parties in election campaigning.
The 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' programme of the prime minister was being broadcast live on DD News and its YouTube channel, and the said programme was even being promoted on social media handles of DD News, the Congress memorandum said.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)