Shimla: The Election Commission has decided to honor media outlets with the National Media Award for Voter Education, recognizing their crucial role in ensuring free and fair elections.

Chief Electoral Officer Manish Garg emphasized the media's importance as a catalyst for fair elections during a workshop in Shimla.

 Discussions focused on guidelines for media coverage, tackling fake news, and monitoring political advertisements.

Garg highlighted the establishment of Media Certification and Monitoring Committees to oversee political ads and address complaints of paid news.

Measures such as pre-certification of print media ads and free airtime allocation for political parties were outlined.

The workshop also addressed queries from media personnel regarding election coverage and adherence to Election Commission parameters.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dalip Negi and media representatives participated in the event.