PCI further added that “Till 2019, the last general election, holding a press conference after voting in each phase was the normal practice. India, being one of the largest democracies in the world and the general election considered as the “biggest festival of democracy”, the citizens have every right to know what has happened on the voting day, from the constitutional body, the Election Commission of India”.

“It should be noted that at press conferences, the journalists get their doubts and confusions, if any, cleared which helps them report and write error free copy for their readers. They keep the citizens accurately informed and updated on the ongoing election. The Election Commissioners can also speak directly to voters via electronic media during a press conference,” it added.

Referring to the delays in the voter turnouts during the ongoing Lok Sabha election, the PCI said it was “shocked and surprised that the Commission has not been releasing the “absolute number of votes polled” in the last three phases”. “This was not the case in the past elections. These developments have led to apprehension in the minds of people about the fairness of the elections,” it said.

“In this context, we demand that the ECI hold a press conference after every phase of voting. Further, we demand that the entire poll data, including absolute number of votes polled and final percentage of voting, be released by the next day of the polling. Such transparency is necessary to uphold the voters’ confidence in the electoral system.

We hope that you will agree to these demands and act immediately on them,” added the PCI.

Related:

https://sabrangindia.in/eci-of-16-notices-issued-by-eci-for-violation-of-mcc-electoral-laws-bjp-escapes-scrutiny-with-just-3-from-the-watchdog/

https://sabrangindia.in/eci-faces-ire-over-lack-of-transparency-and-discrepancy-in-poll-data-the-poll-body-dismisses-the-allegations-in-a-detailed-response/

https://sabrangindia.in/series-of-poll-violations-by-ruling-bjp-inaction-by-eci-says-independent-panel/

The post Press Club of India dismayed at the ECI, not holding a single press conference: urges release of all poll data appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Press Club has denounced these moves as an “extreme act of the government.” While DIGIPUB stated that the “repression of digital news platforms that report critically on the government … endangers the functioning of the media.” Both organisations have demanded that the government reinstate the accounts that have been banned.

The DIGIPUB is a member-ship-based organisation founded by digital news organisations, such as The NewsMinute, Scroll, and The Quint etc.

DIGIPUB’s statement on YouTube’s suspension of a digital news platform. pic.twitter.com/PFZsM22yMj

— DIGIPUB News India Foundation (@DigipubIndia) April 11, 2024

This move follows the removal of Bolta Hindustan’s channel from YouTube on April 4, following which the YouTube channel of National Dastak was also banned on April 8. Both removals came after YouTube cited a confidential order by the ministry citing a violation of the Rule 15 (2) of the Information Technology Rules, 2021 with Section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000. With Section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000 by these channels.

Furthermore, according to Indian Express, on April 13, YouTube channels managed by two independent journalists, Meghnad and Sohit Mishra, were reportedly served notices that limited their monetisation from the platform. The newspaper reported that these notices were related to the creation of videos related to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). While informing them, the platform referred to their user guidelines that prohibited the use of ads for videos that held false information. The videos whose monetisation was limited include one by Mishra, which was titled “Questions over the EVM, one-sided Election Commission, and a weak democracy.” According to the Indian Express, it has garnered over 94,000 views. Similarly, another one with 40,000 views was a video on the fate of India’s elections, titled, “Will there be free and fair elections in India?”

Dear @YouTubeIndia @YouTube this is the fourth video where you have limited the monetization just because we mentioned that Z plus security has been provided to the election commissioner. Should we not use the word Election or election commissioner? How does this go against your… pic.twitter.com/i3gByD5xO2

— sohit mishra (@sohitmishra99) April 13, 2024

As the Lok Sabha polling dates fast approach, these series of bans has led to a furore on social media and has raised questions about freedom of the press and the right to information in India. In its statement, the Press Club of India and DIGPUB have both expressed serious concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding these decisions, especially the undisclosed reasons behind the channel blocks and demonetisation notices. Recently, the group Reports without Borders (RSF) noted the decline in press freedom and persecution of journalists in India. In RSF’s Word Press Freedom Index 2023, India ranked at 161 out of 180 countries across the world.

Related:

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“The messenger is being punished.” – Bolta Hindustan after YouTube channel ban

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Congress approaches Election Commission, raised Bolta Hindustan ban

YouTube allows content containing false and incendiary information about India’s elections: report

The post Media fraternity condemns government directed ban of independent media channels appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The entire issue revolves around the role of the media, and it is evident that the Editor’s Guild did a commendable job by sending a fact finding team to check the ground situation and information which are being suppressed, says the statement.

Further, it adds that, this action amounts to a strong arm tactic by the state government which amounts to intimidation of the apex media body of the country.

At a time when violence-marred Manipur needs utmost attention of the government, such a move by the state government would only make the matters worse and would be seen as a deliberate attempt to suppress the truth. It is a case of shooting the messenger rather than taking measures to restore peace in the state.

The statement signed by Umakant Lakhera (President) and Vinay Kumar (Secretary) has demanded that the FIR against the EGI President and the three members be withdrawn immediately.

A tweet by the EGI also condemns this action which amounts to a criminalising of journalism.

The Manipur government on Monday said an FIR was filed against four members of the Editors Guild of India (EGI) for “trying to create more clashes in the state”.

Addressing media persons in the state capital, Imphal, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that a first information report (FIR) is registered against the EGI’s president and three others.

The CM said that their report was biased and they did not meet all the groups in the state. “They arrived at an incorrect conclusion,” Singh alleged.

Singh said that this kind of report by the EGI report would create more problems in Manipur, which is rocked by ethnic violence for over four months, killing 170 people and injuring 700 while displacing around 70,000 people from Meitei and Kuki communities.

A three-member fact-finding team of the EGI after visiting Manipur, published its report in New
Delhi last week, claiming that the media’s reports on the ethnic violence were “one-sided”. The report accused the state leadership of being “partisan”.

“It should have avoided taking sides in the ethnic conflict but it failed to do its duty as a democratic government which should have represented the entire state,” the 24-page EGI report said in its conclusions and recommendations.

The FIR was filed at the Imphal police station on the complaint of N Sarat Singh who claimed to be a social worker.

Related:

2 Meitei lawyers representing Kuki Professor Hausing targeted by mob, houses and chambers vandalised in retaliation attack

Stark abdication by an absent state, paucity of basic necessities & poor, unhygienic conditions in relief camps: Manipur

SC transfers CBI cases related to Manipur violence to Assam, asks Gauhati HC CJI to choose trial judges

SC-Appointed Panel Calls for Reconstruction of Lost Documents, Compensation Scheme: Manipur

“Who gains? Who loses?”- An interim report on Manipur violence, resilience, relief and rehabilitation

Manipur urgently needs the healing touch, prompt political intervention: former bureaucrats

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