34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates?

Article 53

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the candidates for the office of the Vice President of the United Republic and political parties participating in an election shall have the right to use state radio and television broadcasting service during the official period of election campaign. 

(2) The Commission shall, after consultations with the candidates, the political parties concerned and the officers responsible for the public media, coordinate the use of the broadcasting rights under this section

(3) Every print media owned by the government which publishes information relating to the electoral process shall be guided by the principle of total impartiality and shall refrain from any discrimination in relation to any candidate journalistically and in the amount of space dedicated to them.

(4) For the purpose of giving effect to this section, the Commission may in writing issue binding directives to any government owned media. 

National Elections Act, 2015

28 (1) The candidate for the Office of the President in an election shall have the right to utilize Government broadcasting services and television during election campaign in accordance with the provisions of the National Elections Act.

(2) The Government media shall include in the publications information relation to the electoral process without bias and such publication shall not tamper with information or discriminate against any candidate.

The Election Expenses Act, 2015

21 (1) During the election campaign, every Government broadcast media shall fix air time program at an equitable prime time for Presidential candidate of every political party to present and promote in the election manifesto to the public.

(2) For smooth implementation of this regulation, each political party participating in an election, shall submit a copy of the election manifesto for its political party to the management of Government broadcast media. 

22 (1) Every government newspaper shall fix a special column for every candidate of a political party contesting for an office of the President to promote the election manifesto of a political party which sponsors that candidate.

(2) A portrait of a candidate to be published in the Government newspaper shall be of such size as has been vetted and authorized by a political party concerned.

The Election Expenses Regulations, 2010