New Delhi: Delhi Chief Electoral office had approved the logo of NaMo TV, which the BJP said is a part of NaMo app owned by it, but did not "certify" the content since it contained old speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said.

The Election Commission on Tuesday had asked the CEO's office to inform whether the political contents were at anytime cleared by the certification committee.

The BJP has said that NaMo TV is part of NaMo app, which is a digital property owned and run by it, according to the party's IT Cell head Amit Malviya.

In its reply to the EC, the CEO office said they had received a request from the BJP to pre-certify the content.

"The Delhi poll body approved the logo of NaMo TV but the content that was submitted for certification had old speeches of the prime minister and it was felt that since they have already been aired, they did not require pre-certification," an official, privy to the development, said.

The reply of the Delhi CEO office is centred around these points, he said, adding the decision on NaMo TV by the EC is expected on Thursday.

Last week, the poll panel had issued a notice seeking a report from the I&B Ministry on NaMo TV, launched just weeks ahead of general election, after opposition parties, including the Congress, asked the poll body to direct the ministry to suspend the channel in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

In its response, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is learnt to have responded that the NaMo TV is an advertisement platform launched by DTH service providers which does not require government nod.

The ministry is also learnt to have said that NaMo TV is not a regular channel and it does not figure in the official list of approved channels of the I&B Ministry.

As per the existing norms, no approval is required from the ministry to run such advertising platforms, the I&B ministry is learnt to have told the poll panel.

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has announced its annual awards for the year 2024, recognising journalists across various categories.

Vartha Bharati journalists Yogesh Mallur and Abdul Rahiman Talapady are among the awardees. Yogesh Mallur has been selected for the G. Narayanaswamy Award for Best Rural Reporting, while Abdul Rahiman Talapady has been honoured under the Tagadoor Kamalamma Veeregowda Award for reporting on farmers’ livelihoods and distress.

The awards will be presented at the 40th State Journalists’ Conference to be held in Bidar on April 11 and 12, KUWJ state president Shivanand Tagadur and general secretary G.C. Lokesh said in a release.

Details of the awards:

1. G. Narayanaswamy Award (Best Rural Report)
Yogesh Mallur, Vartha Bharati, Bengaluru
K.A. Ismail, Shakti, Kodagu

2. Patel Bhairahanumayya Award (Best Humanitarian Report)
Mallaiah Polampally, Kannada Prabha, Shahpur, Yadgir
Ravikumar Kaggannavara, Kannamma, Dharwad

3. Giridhar Award (Best Crime Report)
Basavaraja Kattimani, Kannada Prabha, Hunasagi, Yadgiri
P.K. Ravikumar, Vijayavani, Mysuru

4. B.S. Venkataram Award (Best Scoop Report)
Odesh Sakleshpur, Prajavani, Ramanagara
Mahesh Munnayyanvara Math, Prajavani, Mahalingapur, Bagalkot

5. K.A. Nettakalappa Award (Best Sports Report)
Narayanarao Deshpande, Samyukta Karnataka, Hubballi
Prasad Shettigar, Vijayavani, Bengaluru

6. Khadri Shamanna Award (Best Political Criticism)
Dayashankar Maili, Sudi Mula, Mysuru
Shankar Pagoji, Udayakala

7. Mangala M.C. Varghese Award (Weekly Newspaper Article)
M.G. Nayak, Sudha (Prajavani), Kumta, Uttara Kannada
Venkatesh S. Sampa, Editor, Sampada Saalu

8. Tagadoor Kamalamma Veeregowda Award (Farmers’ Life and Suffering)

Jayaramu, Samyukta Karnataka, Channarayapatna
Abdul Rahiman Talapady, Vartha Bharati, Mangaluru
Indira, Hospet Times, Hospet

9. R.L. Vasudevarao Award (Forest Report)
P. Paramesh, Sudi Mula, Manvi, Raichur
Koushalya D. Falanakar, Gumbaz Express, Vijayapura

10. R.L. Vasudevarao Award (Wildlife Report)
Nagaraj Navimane, Vijaya Karnataka, Mysuru
M. Narasimha Murthy, Kannada Prabha, Bengaluru South

11. B.G. Thimmappaiah Award (Economically Weaker Section Report)
12.
Rajesh Shetty Dota, Vijayavani, Mangaluru
Sharat Kumar S., Udayavani, Shivamogga

12. Mandibele Shamanna Memorial Award (Rural People’s Life Report)
Shankar Katte Malalawadi, Janamitra, Hunsur
Shivaraj Sunkada, Mudgal, Lingasugur, Raichur
Prashant Pade, Udayavani, Kundapura, Udupi

13. Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Memorial Award (Bengaluru Urban and Rural)
H.P. Praveen
Prashanth Rippanpet
V.S. Honnachar, Leaders Weekly
Zukriya, Times of Karnataka

14. Yajaman T. Narayanappa Memorial Award (Best Agricultural Report at District Level)

Venkatesh Gudeppanavara, Vijayavani, Mudhol, Bagalkot
Manjunath N., Bellary, Kavithal, Raichur

15. Nadigera Krishna Raya Award

Sathish Babu, Udayavani, Bengaluru
A. Akshara, Senior Journalist

16. Sunnuvanda Srinivas Changappa Award (Report on Soldiers)

A. Appaji Gowda, Mulbagal, Kolar

17. K.N. Subramanya Award (English Newspaper Report)
Apyan Yasmin, The Hindu
Vikar Ahmed, Frontline, Bengaluru

18. T.K. Malagonda Award (Investigative Report)

Sivananda Hiremath, Vijayavani, Gadag

Tiptur Krishna, Adityavani, Tiptur

19. Actor-Director Dwarakish Memorial Award (Film Category)

S. Jagadish Kumar, Cine Suddi

20. Abhimani Prakashan Award

Mahesh Hegde, Samyukta Karnataka, Sagar, Shivamogga

Ravindra Talagade, Vijaya Karnataka, Ballari

21. Best Page Designers
Sandesh, Pratinidhi, Mysuru

22. Best Desk Management
Vijayakumar, Vijayavani

23. Newsreel (Report with Photograph)
K.V. Balaram, Kikkeri, Mandya
M.R. Manjunath, Senior Photographer

24. Photography / Cameramen
Ganesh, Vijaya Karnataka
Babu Mia, Kalaburagi

25. Ganesh G. Award
M.P. Arun Kumar, City Highlights, Shivamogga
Mahantesh, Andolana, Mysuru

26. K. Prahladrao (Mandya) Award
K.S. Janardhanachari, E Sanje
Ramesh K., Kannada Prabha, Bangarapet, Kolar
K.V. Nagaraj, Prajavani, N.R. Pura, Chikkamagaluru

27. Garudanagiri Nagaraj Award
B. Shivarudrappa, Kannada Prabha, Holalkere, Chitradurga
Ramesh Kumar Naik, Vishwavani
Ramakrishna, Samyukta Karnataka, Mangaluru

28. Gurulingaswamy Holimath Award

Devaraja Kappasogi, Kannada Prabha, Chamarajanagar

Navyajyoti, Hosa Diganta

29. Prajapragati Award
Rabindra Talagade, Vijaya Karnataka, Ballari
Brahmananda Hadagali, Kannada Prabha, Belagavi

30. B.A. Nandikolumath Award
H.K. Nataraj, Udayavani, Davanagere
Ramachandraiah, Kunigal, Samajvani, Tumakur

Electronic Media (TV) Section:

Best Political Analysis

Prashanth Natu, Suvarna TV
Pramod, TV9

Best Anchor

Arun C. Badiger, Public TV
Kiran Kumar D.K.

Development / Social / Humanitarian Report

P.D. Veeranna, Chandana TV, Tumakuru
Thimme Gowda, News18, Bengaluru
Maruti Pavagada, Guarantee News
Raju B.R., News 1st, Koppal
Vithala Caravada, Republic Kannada, Davanagere
Mohanakrishna, Akashvani / Doordarshan, Hassan

KUWJ Special Awards:

Vijaya Biradar, Jamkhandi
Sridhara Uchila, Mumbai
Srikanth, Kasaragod
Sanjeevarao Kulkarni