New Delhi, April 15: All political parties or organisations wishing to put out advertisements on television channels will have to submit these before the respective state electoral officers for a “no-objection” certificate.

The Election Commission today issued a set of guidelines in keeping with the Supreme Court’s order to vet all direct and indirect political advertisements so that they do not offend the “morality, decency and religious susceptibility” of the people.

Each state will have to constitute a committee headed by the chief electoral officer to deal with the advertisements. They will function under the general guidance of Nirvachan Sadan. The commission will lay down the modalities to decide whether the advertisements are in conformity with law.

The chief electoral officers are required to constitute sub-committees to deal with complaints and grievances of the applicants.

The order, which comes into force tomorrow, will be in effect till May 10 when the fourth and last phase of the general elections gets over. The poll panel is empowered to bar the telecast of “offensive” advertisements and seize the equipment of violaters.

Political parties and contesting candidates will have to submit the advertisements to the state committees not later than three days before the scheduled date of telecast. For unregistered parties and individuals, the deadline is not later than seven days.

The commission’s order laid down a series of requirements that the sponsors of an advertisement would have to meet.

The application for certification, the order said, should have the following details: the approximate cost of production, a statement whether the advertisement is intended to improve the prospects of a candidate or a party, and another statement that the payments would be made by way of cheque or demand draft.

The order added that an applicant will have to take an oath that the advertisement is not intended for a political party or a candidate if it is sponsored by any person other than a political party or a candidate.

“All chief electoral officers may take immediate action for acquiring the necessary equipment — such as television, VCR, VCD — required for previewing and scrutinising of advertisements,” said the order.

The poll panel also pointed out that it is physically impossible for the state chief electoral officers to scrutinise all advertisements. “It has, therefore, become necessary for the Election Commission to delegate its powers in this respect to the respective district magistrates,” the order mentioned.