The Election Commission of India (ECI) has detected more than 1,400 cases of alleged paid news, in the last four years during Assembly polls held in 17 states.
According to reports, the maximum of 523 cases were detected during Assembly polls in Punjab last year, followed by 414 in Gujarat. A number of candidates were issued show-cause notices after these instances were reported and the ECI is adjudicating these cases.
An exclusive wing has been created by the ECI called the Election Expenditure Monitoring cell, to monitor cases of paid news and it has also taken on board a team of Income Tax sleuths to check the menace during polls.