Election Commission Restricts Media

in a culture so blatant that some media actually prepare rate cards to present to politicians in exchange for favorable news, India appears to be waking up to the menace to democracy from a bought mainstream media. Millions of rupees have been reportedly been paid to media houses. The Indian Election Commission recently asked the Press Council of India "to define what constitutes paid political news," so it can adopt appropriate guidelines. During a December meeting, the elections body also directed the press council to "formulate guidelines to the media houses" to require that the money involved be incorporated in the political party and candidate expenditures