MUZAFFARABAD (APP) : The Election Commission (EC) of Azad Kashmir issued a code of conduct for media to ensure free, fair and transparent elections with impartial media coverage.
The code of conduct was issued by AJK Election Commission office here on Sunday.
The Secretary Information will issue entry passes to media for the Central Control Room of the Election Commission as per the lists provided by the AJK Government.
According to the code of conduct, no media group or newspaper would be permitted to enter in the Control Room directly on his request and 10 to 15 journalists would be allowed for press coverage in every district at a polling station and Secretary Information will issue their entry passes on the recommendation of AJK government, the journalists bearing entry passes can enter in the Control Room any time.
However, the media persons bearing entry passes can make footage or photo within ten minutes inside the polling stations with the consent of Presiding Officer after starting polling.
Besides, if a Presiding Officer will not allow to any media person to enter in the women polling station and that media person should not resist.
The media person would not be allowed to take footage or photo of voters stamped ballet papers, photo journalists can make video of voters at the distance and corner side of the polling station but not close to the voters to expose his/her vote, at male or female polling stations.
If any election staffer or polling agent male/ female deny to allow make footage or photo, he should not resist, however, the photo journalist can make footage of voters outside the polling station or polling booth, the Election Commission code of conduct concluded.