Bihar election 2025: ECI enforces Pre-certification of Print Ads by MCMC

To ensure free and fair elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has reiterated that no political party, candidate, organization, or individual shall publish any print media advertisement on the poll day and one day prior, unless the content is pre-certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at the State or District level. Accordingly, the restricted dates for Bihar elections are November 5 and 6, 2025 (Phase-I) and November 10 and 11, 2025 (Phase-II).

The ECI has announced the schedule for the Bihar Legislative Assembly General Election, 2025, including bye-elections for eight Assembly Constituencies (ACs). The Phase-I poll will be held on November 6, 2025 (Thursday), and Phase-II on November 11, 2025 (Tuesday).

The pre-certification process, a long-established practice under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), is aimed at ensuring fairness, preventing misleading or provocative content, and maintaining a level playing field for all political contestants. Political advertisements cannot include hate speech, communal content, false claims, or inducements, and MCMC ensures compliance with these rules.

Political parties or candidates seeking to publish ads must submit their content to MCMC at least two days before the intended publication date. The committee, comprising ECI officials and media experts, reviews the content for accuracy, legality, and adherence to MCC. Once approved, the advertisement may be published; otherwise, it must be modified or withheld.

The ECI has activated MCMC at both State and District levels to expedite review and certification, allowing timely publication of compliant advertisements. This system not only prevents misinformation but also provides legal protection to publishers, ensuring that the electorate receives reliable and fair information during the election period.

In the past, several political parties have routinely violated the Model Code of Conduct by publishing advertisements in newspapers on the day of elections or even the day before, often pushing last-minute messages that could sway voters unfairly. Such actions exposed loopholes in monitoring and enforcement, giving the Election Commission of India (ECI) a wake-up call about the need for stricter oversight. In response, the pre-certification rule by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) has been reinforced, ensuring that all print advertisements are reviewed in advance. This system not only holds political parties accountable but also promotes free and fair elections, preventing misleading propaganda and maintaining a level playing field for all candidates.