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The Election Commission on Thursday advised Union ministers to avoid press conferences as far as possible, in view of the Lok Sabha polls, and follow the practice of issuing press releases.
It was the normal practice of Union ministers to address press conferences after meetings of the Union Cabinet or as and when any issue of public importance needed to be brought into the public domain, the EC said.
"Now that the Model Code of Conduct is in force throughout India in view of the current general elections to the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Sikkim, the Commission would like to advise that such press conferences should be avoided, as far as possible," it said in a letter to the Cabinet Secretary.
The practice of issuing press releases may be resorted to, it said. "Where, however, the holding of a press conference becomes unavoidable in public interest, preferably an appropriate official may address the press conference," the EC said.
The Commission's directive comes in the backdrop of a complaint by the Bharatiya Janata party, against Home Minister P Chidambaram, for making certain comments on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at a press conference.