SC wants norms for govt dept ads

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the government to place before it the guidelines prepared by it to regulate the expenditure of various departments on advertisements glorifying political leaders on tax payers’ money. A Bench comprising Chief Justice YK Sabharwal and Justice CK Thakker directed the Centre to place the draft guidelines before it along with an affidavit.

The order to this effect was passed after Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium told the bench that the guidelines and rules in this regard has been prepared by the Directorate of Audio Visual and Publicity (DAVP) and the department of expenditure.

The apex court during the earlier hearing had warned the government that if it failed to come out with the guidelines by December last, it will proceed to frame some guidelines.

The court which wanted the matter to be considered by the government on priority basis, had observed “lakhs and lakhs of rupees are spent on such advertisements and there has to be some regulations and guidelines.” Earlier, the court while issuing notices to the Centre, states and union territories, had disapproved of advertisements with political content issued by government departments.

The order was passed on a PIL filed by advocate Manzoor Ali Khan alleging that by spending tax payers’ money for private and personal benefit, “the Centre and its instrumentalities have committed not only breach of trust but it also amounts to misappropriation of public money”.

The court had sought to know if the finance ministry had any regulations to check such expenditure by government departments on issuing advertisements in newspapers on birth and death anniversaries of political leaders. The court had said there was a need for introspection on the issue and had cited the example of developed nations where such activities were sponsored by political parties themselves.