NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the allotment of free broadcast and telecast time to recognised national and state political parties on Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections 2025. The decision has been taken under Section 39A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which governs equitable access to government media during elections.
According to the ECI, digital time vouchers have been issued through a dedicated IT platform to all recognised political parties in Bihar. The Commission stated that this initiative ensures transparency and efficiency in allotting time for election-related broadcasts.
The broadcast and telecast schedule will commence after the publication of the list of contesting candidates for each phase and continue until two days before polling. The actual slots for each party will be finalised through a draw of lots, conducted in the presence of authorised representatives from political parties and officials from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bihar.
Under this scheme, each recognised political party will receive 45 minutes of free airtime on both Doordarshan and All India Radio. The time will be uniformly distributed across the regional networks within the state. In addition, parties that performed better in the previous Bihar Assembly elections will receive additional airtime, proportionate to their past electoral performance.
The ECI has directed all political parties to submit the transcripts and recordings of their broadcast materials in advance. These must comply strictly with the Commission’s guidelines and the code of conduct. Recordings may be made either at Doordarshan and AIR Kendras or in studios that meet Prasar Bharati’s technical standards.
To further ensure balanced coverage, Prasar Bharati Corporation will organise up to two panel discussions or debates on Doordarshan and AIR during the election period. Each eligible political party will be invited to nominate one representative to participate in the programme. The discussions will be moderated by an approved coordinator appointed in consultation with the Election Commission.
The ECI stated that the initiative is part of its continued effort to provide equal opportunity for all political parties to present their policies and programmes to the electorate. It also reinforces the Commission’s commitment to maintaining transparency, neutrality and fairness in the electoral process.
