The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently made headlines by announcing an increase in the broadcast time provided to recognized political parties on Doordarshan and All India Radio. This move aims to assist election campaigning for the upcoming 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections.
Changes in Broadcast Timings
Each recognized national party and those state parties based in Bihar will now be granted a base time of 90 minutes for broadcasts on the regional kendras of the Doordarshan and All India Radio networks in Bihar. The cap for any single broadcast session has been set at 30 minutes for each party. Parties that demonstrate noteworthy electoral performance in the last Assembly election, which took place in 2015, may be allocated additional time over this core 90 minute allotment.
Setting the Broadcast Period
The broadcast period is scheduled to commence on the final date for nomination submissions and conclude two days prior to the Bihar polling day. The Prasar Bharati Corporation, in conjunction with the ECI, is responsible for determining the precise dates and times for these broadcasts. The Prasar Bharati Corporation, encompassing both the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, is India’s biggest public broadcasting agency.
Role of Prasar Bharati Corporation in Broadcasting
Political parties are required to submit transcripts and recorded content prior to broadcast. In addition to facilitating party broadcasts, the Prasar Bharati Corporation will host up to four panel discussions and/or debates on its platforms. Each eligible party is allowed to appoint one representative to participate in these programs.
Impact of Expanded Broadcast Time
The decision to amplify broadcast time comes at a critical point in campaigning amidst pandemic-imposed limitations on movement. With safety measures in play, non-contact-based campaigning such as radio and television broadcasts can serve as viable alternatives to physical campaigns. Thus, these expanded broadcast times can also be seen as a strategic move to lower expenditure on physical campaigning.
Types and Recognition of Political Parties in India
The ECI classifies political parties under three distinct categories: “national party”, “state party” or “registered (unrecognised) party”. The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 outlines the varying conditions for each party type. Nationally recognized parties must satisfy stipulated vote share and parliamentary seat criteria across multiple states. State parties, on the other hand, are subject to similar conditions but confined to their respective state. Once a party gains recognition as a national or state party, it stands to lose this status only if it fails to meet any of the required conditions over two successive Assembly and two successive Lok Sabha elections. This means even if a party’s performance dips in upcoming elections, their recognized status remains intact until the aforementioned conditions are not met.