IPR Dir urges media to play key role during polls
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 12 2024:
A media awareness programme on 'Free, Fair and Ethical Voting' was organised by Editors' Guild Manipur (EGM) under the aegis of Office of CEO, Manipur at the auditorium of Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR), Keishampat, here, on Friday.
Speaking as chief guest of the programme, IPR director Dr Th Charanjeet emphasised the importance of the awareness programme, adding that it would help increase the existing knowledge of media persons.
Urging media persons to write articles or reports about the contesting candi dates without any bias, he further urged for allowing the candidates equal opportunity to express their opinion, thereby enabling the citizens to better understand their candidates.
He called upon media persons to take on a proactive role in helping the citizens exercise their democratic rights freely.
Charanjeet also appealed to media persons to push aside news or reports which could vitiate the unrest situation in Manipur, or incite hatred or violence amongst the people.
Presiding over the programme, EGM president Khogendra Khomdram said that the upcoming Lok Sabha election is different from past polls in view of the prevailing situation in the state.
In addition, there are many who are trying to influence the media to their bidding in-spite of the ECI taking up various measures to ensure a free, fair and ethical election.
In this, the media needs to keep the dos and don'ts in mind and report accurately to the people, so that they can exercise their voting rights properly.
The main objective of the programme is to help media understand the election and in turn, enable the people by media to understand the same, he explained.
All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) president Bijoy Kakchingtabam and Manipur Hill Journalists' Union president Peter Adani also attended the programme as guests of honour.
During the technical session moderated by the EGM president, Imphal West ADM Samim Ahmed Shah spoke on the topic ' Election apps and tools'; DIPR additional director W Phajatombi On 'MCC'; EGM secretary Yumnam Rupachandra on 'Role of media in promoting free, fair and ethical voting' and senior journalist A Mobi on 'Ethical and responsible reporting of election' .