Cinema owner, manager in Punjab's Patiala booked for poll code violation

Chandigarh: Police on Tuesday registered a case against an owner and a manager of a cinema hall in Patiala for violating the Model Code of Conduct by screening promotional videos showing the Punjab government logo.

The action was taken following a complaint received from an RTI activist in this regard.

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C said that his office had received the complaint regarding gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct as the promotional video ads featuring the Punjab government logo and the chief minister's appearance are being played in cinemas across the state.

Taking immediate cognizance of the complaint, the Punjab CEO had sought a report from the Patiala deputy commissioner under whose jurisdiction the cinema hall falls, the secretary public relations department, and also from all deputy commissioners-cum DEOs in the state to ascertain the status of display of such government advertisements in any of the cinema halls across the state.

The CEO said that a notice was issued to the manager of the cinema hall and later a flying squad team visited the cinema hall.

Thereafter, being a matter primarily related with the display of an advertisement in the cinema hall, the case was put up before the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC).

As per the MCMC committee's recommendations, the police in Patiala registered a case under section 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by a public servant) and section 177 (furnishing false information) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).