The menace of paid news often rears its ugly head during elections. Discuss the need for making paid news an electoral offence in India. (Answer in 250 words)

Paid news refers to promotion of news item by paying to the publisher of the newspaper/news channel etc. It may or may not be true. Paid News & Elections - A menace Paid news is often used by political parties to promote themselves amongst the citizens. (1) Paying for publishing fake news & distribution of bicycles (2) Paying for an Opinion piece raising the political party Need for making it an offence: - Punishments for electoral offences are dealt with in Representation of Peoples Act 1957 which don't include paid news Paid News harms in the following ways: - (1) Against principles of Right to Information - (2) Disadvantage for parties with less money power - (3) Independent candidates - (4) Spreads Misinformation - (5) Can disturb harmony Paid news should be an electoral offence. Recommended by various commissions like Dinesh Goswami Commission, 2nd ARC (2) Will act as a deterrence (3) Punishments will be delineated so as to avoid ambivalence (4) Provides equal level playing field for all candidates (5) In line with democratic principle (6) It should include punishment for candidates & media house as well. (7) Will lead to further reform in electoral & politics. Apart from making paid news an electoral offence, other offences like Bribery etc should also be included. Further Election Commission India's powers need to be strengthened for a fledgling electoral process. Giving powers to de-register political parties for paid news can be a step in right direction.