The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer said that among all parties running for elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has submitted the highest number of advertisements related to the ongoing Lok Sabha polls for approval. As per data accessed by PTI, the BJP has submitted a staggering 517 applications for approval, totalling about 2,084 political advertisements in the city. This figure significantly surpasses its competitors, with the Indian National Congress following behind with 118 applications for 349 political ads.Ā
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party trails with just six applications for an equal number of ads related to the Lok Sabha elections. The Chief Electoral Office has approved 2,423 advertisements against 638 applications from all political parties. However, the BJP’s approval of three applications for 16 advertisements is still pending.Ā
As per reports, an official said, āThe political parties submit applications for running short films, creatives, and advertisements during election time. One application can contain requests for multiple advertisements and short films,ā In the ongoing general elections and the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), political parties are mandated to seek approval from the Delhi Chief Electoral Office before displaying any political advertisements in the city.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been tasked with the responsibility of removing unauthorized political advertisements across all 12 zones of the civic body.Ā Recent reports indicate that over 8.84 lakh posters, banners, hoardings, signage, and flags, among other forms of political advertisements, have been removed for lack of approval from the CCEO’s office until May 13.
It does not end here. According to reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has spent at least Rs 41 crore on political advertisements through Google since the Model Code of Conduct came into place, followed by the Congress, which has spent Rs 30 crore in the same period, according to statistics from GGoogle’sAds Transparency Center.
In the realm of political advertising during the crucial period from March 16 to May 7, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat emerged as the top four targeted states, drawing significant attention from political parties.
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According to reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took the lead in ad spending, accounting for 35% of the total Rs 116 crore spent on political ads during this timeframe. The Congress followed closely behind, representing 26% of the total expenditure.
During the same period, the Telugu Desam Party spent Rs 4 crore, while the Biju Janata Dal spent Rs 3.9 crore on political advertisements. Apart from Tamil Nadu, other states witnessing substantial ad spending include Andhra Pradesh (ā¹16.2 crore), Maharashtra (ā¹9.87 crore), Gujarat (ā¹6.87 crore), and Uttar Pradesh (ā¹6.52 crore).
April 26 recorded the highest expenditure on political ads, amounting to Rs 6.09 crore, whereas May 7 saw the lowest expenditure at 40.6 lakh. A staggering 1,60,701 ads were placed during this period, indicating the intense competition and strategic manoeuvring within the political advertising landscape.Ā
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