Election Commission has mandated pre-certification of political advertisements in print media during the pre-poll period and on polling day for the upcoming Assembly and bye-elections. Sharing a statement, the Commission has issued strict guidelines governing political advertisements in print outlets. It stated that no political party, candidate, organization, or individual shall publish any political advertisement in newspapers on the poll day or one day before polling unless the content has been pre-certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at the state or district level. It added that contesting candidates and individuals may apply for certification through the District MCMC, while recognized political parties with headquarters in a State or Union Territory must seek approval from the State-level MCMC. The Commission emphasized that applications for pre-certification must be submitted at least two days prior to the intended publication date to allow sufficient scrutiny.