EC’s 12 directions for collecting election news

The Election Commission (EC) has given 12 directions so that newsmen can collect voting news from the election centers maintaining disciplined electoral atmosphere on the occasion of eleventh national parliament election.

The commission also urged for collecting the news abiding by the rules and regulations from the vote centers for uninterrupted information collection and publicizing.

The rules and regulations were issued through a statement signed by EC Public Relations department joint secretary SM Asaduzzaman.

The statement said, only the EC authorized persons can enter the vote centers. EC will provide cards for the newsmen. Newsmen and Observers can use the sticker in their vehicles authorized by the commission. But no sticker can be issued for motorcycles.

The directions that are given for the newsmen-

1. Valid card holders authorized by EC can directly enter the voting centers. After entering the centers they can collect information, take photographs and videos of the voting activities after obtaining permission from the Presiding Officer. But they cannot take photo or video of the secret room at any cost.

2. More than one media newsmen cannot enter the voting booth at a time.

3. No live telecast will be allowed from the voting booth.

4. For live telecast newsmen have to make that keeping safe distance from the voting booths in the vote center. No hindrance will be allowed for voting activities.

5. Newsmen can see the vote counting but no live telecast will be allowed.

6. No live social media telecast will be allowed from voting booth.

7. Have to refrain from the activities that hamper voting process.

8. Newsmen will follow the legal directions of Presiding Officers in the vote centers.

9. Cannot interfere the election related officers’ work.

10. Cannot touch or remove any types of election materials.

11. Have to refrain from any type of campaign or rivalry campaign for or against any political party or candidate while collection election news.

12. Have to abide by the laws and regulations for holding election.

The statement said, action will be taken against persons or organizations according to the electoral laws, rules and codes if the said directions are not obeyed.

AH