News Broadcasting
Guidelines to deal with paid news ahead of elections
NEW DELHI: There is some amount of seriousness in tackling the issue of paid news. The Election Commission has issued guidelines to the Chief Electoral Officers of all the states and Union Territories to deal with candidates‘ advertisements on television channels owned by political parties or their functionaries and office bearers during elections. These will come into effect immediately.
The latest guidelines have been issued to bring better uniformity in dealing with such instances even when no consideration of cash and kind is involved in extending campaign publicity to candidates.
The guidelines say that six months before the due date of expiry of Lok Sabha or the State/UT Legislative Assembly, as the case may be, a list of television channels, radio channels and newspapers circulated in the State and Union Territory and their standard rate cards shall be obtained by the CEOs and forwarded to the Commission.
The latest guidelines were issued on 16 August to put in place a mechanism to deal with the problems of ‘paid news‘. The Commission had earlier issued guidelines on 8 June 2010, 23 September 2010, and 18 March 2011 relating to this issue.
The Commission said in a recent press note that it had been receiving various complaints and references regarding ‘paid news‘ and advertisements on TV channels owned by political parties or their functionaries during the process of elections, thus disturbing the level playing field, as these are not reflected in the candidate‘s election expenses account.
The Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at district and state level will monitor all political advertisements in relation to candidates, either overt or covert, and will intimate the Returning Officer for issue of notices to candidates for inclusion of notional expenditure based on standard rate cards in their election expenses account, even if they actually do not pay any amount to the channel/newspaper. This will also include publicity by or on behalf of candidate by Star Campaigner (s) or others, to impact his electoral prospects. A copy of the notice will also be marked to Election Expenditure Observer.
In case of bye-election to Parliamentary or Assembly constituency, the standard rate card will be obtained by the District Election Officer concerned immediately on announcement of the bye-election and MCMC will take due action immediately afterwards.
Like in the case of paid news, the Chief Electoral Officer and District Election Officers will brief political parties and media houses about the above guidelines before the commencement of the
election campaign.
In case of any technical doubt relating to the application of the standard rate card, the matter would be referred to the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry for advice.
The practice of paid news has to be seen as an attempt to circumvent the provisions of Sections 77 and 123 (6) of Representatives of the Peoples Act 1951 which prescribe accounting and ceiling of election expenses and make exceeding such prescribed limits a corrupt practice in elections.
The Commission has directed that maximum vigilance may be observed by making use of the existing provisions of law so that the incidence of ‘paid news‘ or surrogate advertisements in print and electronic media in the context of elections is arrested.
Legal provisions under Section 127A of the 1951 Act make it mandatory for the publisher of an election advertisement, pamphlet, etc., to print the name and address of the publisher as well as printer and failure to do so attracts penalty of imprisonment up to two years and/or fine of Rs 2000/-. Section 171 H of the IPC prohibits incurring of expenditure on, inter alia, advertisement without the authority of the contesting candidate.
‘Paid news‘ would also fall in the category of ‘other document‘ liable to be included in ‘election pamphlet and poster‘ and action taken accordingly. Hence, an obvious case of news reporting in the print media dedicated/ giving advantage to a particular candidate or the party while ignoring/ causing prejudice to other candidates and parties would require investigation.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
