SC Sets Guidelines for Government Advertisements
NEW DELHI: Holding that there had been ‘misuse and abuse’ of public money on government advertisements, the Supreme Court-appointed high-powered committee has recommended that names and pictures of political parties and their office- bearers, like presidents, should not be mentioned in government advertisements.
The three-member SC committee headed by legal luminary N R Madhava Menon has framed guidelines to regulate the expenditure and contents of such advertisement paid out of taxpayers’ money.
The report, submitted to the apex court, has emphasised that only pictures and names of the President, the Prime Minister, Governor and Chief Ministers be published to “keep politics away from such ads”. Sources said the Committee has also endorsed the suggestions of the Election Commission that there must be “severe” restrictions on such advertisements six months prior to the elections.
It recommended that a deadline should be fixed for prohibiting their publication and the poll panel should be authorised for the purpose.
The committee recommended that there should only be a single advertisement, preferably by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry, in respect of commemorative advertisements, which is given on birth and death anniversary of an important personality.