New Delhi: Aiming at curbing electoral malpractices like paid news ahead of the Assembly polls, a workshop was held for senior media persons and cable operators by the office of Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer on Monday.

The focus of the workshop was also to sensitise media on the instructions relating to media during the election period, including paid news issues, certification of political advertisements in electronic media.

The workshop was held for heads and chiefs of print and electronic media and cable operators to sensitise media on the election regulations and legal provisions, an official of the CEO said.

According to the CEO office, during Delhi Assembly elections in 2013, 54 cases were decided as "confirmed paid news" cases by the district/state Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) in print media.

The candidates across the different parties were also found to be involved in these cases and accordingly expenditure on publishing paid news was included in the candidate's expenditure account.

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