Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Trivia: Media in times of polls

Take a look at interesting tidbits of history associated with the Lok Sabha elections.

New Delhi: In each election season, one runs into complaints of paid news everytime. In 2014, then Election Commissioner H S Brahma even described Mumbai as the “known capital of paid news”. He backtracked later and extended an apology for his remarks.

The Election Commissions in earlier times did not have such harsh words for the media. The reports on the general election in 1951-52 show that media, then predominantly print, found positive mention from the Election Commission.

Sukumar Sen, the first Chief Election Commissioner of India, wrote in the Report on the First General Election -- "As the tempo of electioneering heightened, a large number of new newspapers sprang into existence mainly to meet this temporary demand. Although most of these papers came out with the object of furthering the election propaganda of one party or the other, they nevertheless served the purpose of heightening the voter's interest in the elections and keeping them posted with the latest election news."

Sen reported that as many as 397 newspapers were started during the period of the elections, and “most of these ceased to exist” after the elections were over.

Media was innovative then too and they found ways to inform people about the first election. In the words of Sen, a few papers introduced a new feature which contained answers to queries from readers pertaining to subjects like the procedure for registration of voters, disqualifications for membership, election publicity, election expenses, postal voting, government servants and elections, forfeiture of deposits etc.

“These efforts by the press proved very useful in educating the voters, and probably many of the candidates as well,” Sen wrote.

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If the first election introduced the Q/A format, the second general election introduced a new feature ‘Election Tit-bits’. Sen, who was the Chief Election Commissioner for the 1957 elections too, reported, "As the election tempo gathered momentum, the press highlighted every outstanding event as it came and by the time poll commenced, interest in the elections had become all-absorbing. Many newspapers published special articles explaining the voting procedure in detail for the benefit of the electorate. Some of them introduced a new feature containing 'Election Tit-bits'."

He also said an election “quiz” programme was undertaken by the Delhi Radio “Quiz” station of the All India Radio in which officers of the Election Programme answered questions. The Commission answered on two occasions, 26 queries made by the public on matters relating to elections. The AIR also broadcast additional talks in special audience programmes, particularly in the “Women’s programme”.

“Special election features were also included in the rural broadcasts, industrial broadcasts and broadcasts for women. Features, documentaries, and dramatised presentation of matters connected with the elections were also broadcast with a view to emphasise points like the duty of every citizen to vote, secrecy of the ballot, and such other matters,” Sen wrote in his report.

Manipulation of the media is not a new phenomenon. Way back in the early 1970s, then-Chief Election Commissioner S P Sen-Varma flagged concerns over the issue in the Report on the Fifth General Elections in India 1971-72. He noted in the report that it “must not be forgotten that the electoral process today has become in the main a contest in manipulation of voters by campaign and propaganda” through the successful use and utilisation of various mass media, such as broadcasting, and newspapers among others.

Though the Election Commission has voiced concerns about paid news, it has not outrightly kept the media out. The Commission believes that it is an “important ally” in election management and wants it to play a “positive and proactive role” in the delivery of a free, fair, transparent, peaceful and participative election.

(Note: This is a revised version of an article published earlier in Deccan Herald)