The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the allocation of digital time vouchers to recognized National and State Political Parties for free broadcast and telecast time on Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) during the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar, 2025.
This initiative, implemented under Section 39A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, ensures that all major political parties have equal access to the public broadcasting platforms for campaigning, maintaining transparency, fairness, and equal opportunity in electoral communication.
Digital Time Vouchers Through IT Platform
For the first time, the ECI has completely digitized the process by issuing Digital Time Vouchers via a dedicated IT platform. These vouchers have been allotted to all eligible National and State recognized parties in Bihar to facilitate the free broadcast and telecast of their campaign content.
The move is part of the Commission’s larger effort to promote digital governance, efficiency, and transparency in the electoral process. The digital system eliminates manual paperwork and ensures real-time monitoring of time allocation and usage by political parties.
Broadcast and Telecast Schedule
The broadcast and telecast period will commence after the publication of the list of contesting candidates in each phase and will continue until two days before the polling date.
The actual scheduling of broadcast and telecast slots will be finalized through a draw of lots conducted in the presence of:
- Authorized representatives of the political parties
- Officials from the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bihar
This transparent procedure ensures equal opportunity and avoids any bias in the allocation of time slots.
Base Time and Additional Allotment
Under the scheme, each recognized political party will receive a base time of 45 minutes on both Doordarshan and All India Radio. This time will be provided uniformly on the regional networks within Bihar to ensure equal access across the state.
In addition, extra broadcast and telecast time will be allocated to political parties based on their poll performance in the previous Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, as per ECI’s established guidelines.
This structured time distribution ensures that both emerging and established parties receive fair representation while reflecting their electoral strength.
Guidelines for Content Submission
Political parties are required to submit transcripts and pre-recorded content in advance for approval. The recordings must adhere strictly to the ECI’s code of conduct and Prasar Bharati guidelines to ensure compliance with broadcasting standards.
Recordings can be produced in studios that meet the technical specifications prescribed by Prasar Bharati, or at the Doordarshan/AIR Kendras in Bihar.
This vetting process ensures that the broadcast content remains factual, non-defamatory, and free from hate speech or misinformation, thereby maintaining the sanctity of public communication during the election period.
Panel Discussions and Debates
In addition to party-specific broadcasts, Prasar Bharati Corporation will organize up to two panel discussions and debates on both Doordarshan and All India Radio.
Each eligible political party will be invited to nominate one representative for participation. These programmes will be moderated by an approved coordinator and will focus on key electoral issues, policies, and developmental agendas, helping voters make informed decisions.
Promoting Transparency and Equal Opportunity
The ECI’s free broadcast and telecast scheme ensures that public broadcasters remain a neutral platform for political communication. By offering digital time vouchers and structured access, the Commission reinforces its commitment to fair elections, media neutrality, and voter awareness.
This initiative not only empowers political parties to reach a wider audience but also strengthens democratic engagement and informed participation among voters in Bihar, for more details CLICK HERE
