The Election Commission has issued guidelines for media persons covering Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, which bars media persons from interviewing candidates at the office where they file nominations and photo-journalists from taking pictures of the filing of papers.

District Election Officer Anurag Srivastava told PTI that media personnel will be kept 100 metres away from these offices and will also not be allowed to take details of candidates' priorities as per Election Commission directions.

The electronic media will have to provide a list of journalists to the district information office to ensure that they get permission to cover important political leaders during public meetings.

Srivastava said a media centre was being set up to facilitate election coverage and an officer at the centre will update journalists everyday at 4 pm.

Candidates contesting the elections will have to take prior permission from the district information office to air advertisements on local television channels.

Srivastava also said that the administration will film the nomination processions of candidates and strong action will be taken against those with more than three vehicles in their processions.