Imphal, Feb. 27: The Election Commission has taken serious note of political parties' advertisements that are "offending and misleading", saying such advertisements, during the final stages of election, would vitiate the process.

According to a statement issued today by chief electoral officer (CEO) V.K. Dewangan, publication of such advertisements in print media has been brought to the notice of the commission.

"Such advertisements, in the last stage of the election, vitiates the election. The affected candidates and parties will not have any opportunity of providing clarification or rebuttal in such cases," the release said.

In order to ensure that no such instances are repeated and no untoward incidents take place because of inflammatory, misleading or hate advertisements, the commission, exercising its power under Article 324 of the Constitution and all other powers enabling it on this behalf, directed that no political party, candidate or any other organisation or person shall publish any advertisement in the print media on March 3 and 4, unless the content of the advertisement proposed to be published secured clearance from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee.

All newspapers in Manipur shall not publish any advertisement on March 3 and 4 without the clearance of the monitoring committee, the chief electoral officer directed. He appealed to political parties, contestantsand all media houses to take note of the commission's directives.

A BJP advertisement, published by all Imphal-based morning newspapers yesterday with photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Ibobi Singh, wooed voters by saying, "Mr 10 per cent commission or Mr 100 per cent development? The choice is clear! For corruption-free Manipur vote for BJP."

The same day the Congress published an advertisement in these papers saying "Words won't do, Mr Prime Minister. Please show the "agreement." If nothing is there, why hide it? For clean and transparent governance, please vote for Congress party."