Date:27/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/27/stories/2007042707481200.htm

National

CBDT to probe surrogate ads

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The Election Commission has asked the Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes to investigate the publication and source of funding of surrogate advertisements in newspapers during the ongoing Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. Enclosing press clippings, the commission, in a communication to the Chairman, directed the CBDT to go into the matter to unearth the source of expenditure incurred by the advertisers and to take appropriate follow-up action.

During a hearing of complaints on the release and distribution by the Bharatiya Janata Party of a controversial compact disc, the Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other parties brought to the commission's notice newspaper advertisements seeking votes on a communal and religious plank. They said several advertisements were being published without the mandatory clearance from the commission and without mentioning the name of the persons releasing them.