**Executive Summary**
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has mandated the pre-certification of print advertisements for the 2026 General Elections and bye-elections to ensure a fair campaign environment. Political parties and candidates must obtain approval from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) for ads published on poll days and the day prior. Applications for certification must be submitted at least two days before the intended publication date.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Pre-certification Requirements**
* No political party, candidate, or individual may publish print advertisements on poll day or one day prior without MCMC pre-certification.
* This requirement applies to the General Elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, as well as bye-elections in six states.
**Jurisdiction and Authority**
* Individuals and contesting candidates must apply for certification through the District MCMC.
* Registered political parties headquartered in a State/UT must apply through the State Level MCMC.
**Timelines and Schedule**
* **Application Deadline:** Applicants must submit requests for pre-certification no later than two days before the proposed publication date.
* **Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry:** Mandatory pre-certification for ads published on 08.04.2026 and 09.04.2026.
* **Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase I):** Mandatory pre-certification for ads published on 22.04.2026 and 23.04.2026.
* **West Bengal (Phase II):** Mandatory pre-certification for ads published on 28.04.2026 and 29.04.2026.
**Monitoring and Enforcement**
* MCMCs at State and District levels are activated to provide expedited decisions on advertisement approvals.
* MCMCs are tasked with maintaining a strict vigil on "paid news" in the media and taking appropriate action against such cases.
**Impact Analysis**
**Political Parties, Candidates, and Organizations**
**Impact**
They are prohibited from publishing any uncertified print advertisements during the 48-hour period encompassing the poll day and the day preceding it.
**Action Required**
Must submit all proposed print advertisements to the relevant District or State Level MCMC at least two days before the scheduled publication.
**Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC)**
**Impact**
The committee is responsible for the expedited review and pre-certification of print advertisements and must increase surveillance of media content.
**Action Required**
Must examine applications promptly and take suitable action against suspected instances of paid news.
Key Entities Referenced
Election Commission of India (ECI): The primary regulatory body that issued the guidelines for the 2026 General Elections and mandated advertisement pre-certification.
Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC): The committee at the State and District levels responsible for the mandatory examination and pre-certification of political advertisements in print media.
Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal: The specific states and Union Territory where the pre-certification of print advertisements is mandatory for the 2026 General Elections.
Election Commission
General Elections and bye-elections 2026: Pre-
certification of print-ads by MCMC on Pre-poll
and Poll Day
Posted On: 06 APR 2026 3:02PM by PIB Delhi
1. Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to Legislative
Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and bye-elections in 6
states on March 15,2026.
2. In order to ensure a fair campaign environment, no political party, candidate, organization or person
shall publish any advertisement in the print media on the poll day and one day prior to the poll
day, unless the contents are pre-certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee
(MCMC) at the State/District level.
3. Individuals or contesting candidates can apply for certification of advertisements with District
MCMC. All registered political parties headquartered in a State/UT can apply for certification of
such advertisements with the State Level MCMC.
4. Accordingly, precertification of ads in poll-bound states/UT are necessary as per the schedule given
below:
Name of State/UT going Poll Date Dates of publication for which
for general elections Precertification of print ads is mandatory
Assam, Kerala and 09.04.2026 08.04.2026 & 09.04.2026
Puducherry
Tamil Nadu 23.04.2026 22.04.2026 & 23.04.2026
West Bengal 23.04.2026 (Ph-I) 22.04.2026 & 23.04.2026
29.04.2026(Ph-II) 28.04.2026 & 29.04.2026
5. Applicants seeking pre-certification for political advertisements in print media must apply to the
MCMC not later than two days prior to the proposed date of publication of the advertisement.
6. To facilitate timely pre-certification, MCMC at the State/District levels have been activated to
examine and pre-certify such advertisements, and ensure decisions are made expeditiously.
7. MCMCs shall also keep a strict vigil on suspected cases of paid news in the media and take suitable
action.
**********PK/GDH/RP
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