MAM
Press Council urges print media to follow exit poll rules ahead of state polls
Advisory flags strict curbs on surveys to protect fair and free elections
NEW DELHI: With several states preparing to head to the polls, India’s media watchdog is ensuring the fourth estate stays on the straight and narrow. The Press Council of India has issued a fresh advisory to the print media, urging reporters to stick to the script of objective journalism as voters in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry prepare to cast their ballots.
The council is reminding editors that the freedom of the press is a two-way street that requires a healthy dose of responsibility. To keep the democratic gears turning smoothly, the Press Council of India (PCI) wants newspapers to ditch the “unhealthy” campaigns and exaggerated tales that often crop up during the heat of a race. Instead, the focus should remain on providing fair reports about the candidates without letting a few high-profile names hog all the headlines.
One of the biggest red flags in the new advisory is the paid news phenomenon. The council defines this as any analysis or news appearing for a price, whether that is cold hard cash or a favour in kind. To spot these advertorials in disguise, the watchdog suggests looking for tell-tale signs: identical reports appearing verbatim in competing papers or news items that suddenly shower a candidate with every virtue known to man.
Religion and caste are also off-limits for campaign trail rhetoric. The guidelines strictly forbid any reporting that might stir up enmity or hatred between different communities. Reporters are also being told to steer clear of unverified allegations and to politely decline any hospitality or financial inducements offered by those looking for a favourable slant.
While newspapers are still free to make an honest assessment of who might win, they must ensure their predictions are based on verified surveys rather than just a gut feeling or a hidden payment. The goal is to ensure that the electorate receives the facts they need to make an informed choice, rather than a polished PR pitch disguised as a front-page story.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
