New Delhi sources stated that an advertising blitz by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, which saw more than 150 newspaper ads exulting over its performance in 10 days, stopped on Monday, a day after the schedule for the next general election, was announced. Meanwhile the Election Commission said the election will be held over seven stages from April 11 in what will be the world's biggest democratic exercise when a code of conduct over election campaigning came into force.
Furthermore citing the code, the commission said "no advertisements shall be issued in electronic and print media highlighting the achievements of the govt. at the cost of public exchequer". According to Reuters calculations “The New Delhi editions of the same three newspapers had 162 government ads between March 1 and March 10”.
Moreover most included a picture of Modi and highlighted government initiatives from rural development and solar power to airport infrastructure and social security benefits, among others. Apparently the Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity, a government agency which coordinates with ministries on government ads, did not respond to a request for comment. Modi's office also did not respond and it wasn't immediately clear how much money the government had spent on the ads.
