Video vans can use only pre-certified content: Election Commission

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission, while allowing parties to deploy video and digital vans for publicity in poll-bound states, issued a set of guidelines on Saturday that require all content aired on video vans to be pre-certified by the media certification and monitoring committee. Also, the video-vans have been asked to stick to propagating the party’s policies and programmes and not seek support for any particular candidate.

Expenditure on publicity through video vans will have to be included in the party’s expenditure account, to be submitted to the EC after the elections. However, if the van is used to seek votes for a candidate or candidates, the expenditure on it shall be accounted for by such candidate or candidates. This aspect will be monitored by ‘expenditure observers’.

Video vans may be operated only between 8am and 8pm and cannot be used for rallies and roadshows, as per the EC’s instructions. It shall be the party or candidate’s responsibility to ensure that viewers don’t exceed 500 or 50% capacity or SDMA limit, whichever is less; that all Covid norms are followed; that the video van does not hinder smooth flow of traffic or thoroughfare; and that the decibel level of sound from the van does not exceed the limit prescribed by the laws.


Not only will the video van require permission from the chief electoral officer or district election officer (DEO) but it must also first obtain necessary permission or no-objection certificate under the Motor Vehicle Act. The DEO shall identify the designated spaces as viewing points for the stoppage of the video vans, with the stoppage time at each point not exceeding 30 minutes.

The DEO will allocate route, space and time for video vans permitted to operate in the jurisdiction. Video vans shall not be displayed at markets and crowded places.

Political parties and candidates shall be responsible for ensuring that all model code provisions and relevant laws are adhered to while operating video vans.