Only PM, President and Chief Justice can feature in govt ads, says Supreme Court

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, May 13, 2015: The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that only photographs of the President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India should feature in government advertisements.
 

Even the pictures of these three personalities should be used only with their approval, the apex court said.
 
The court also allowed the use of pictures of late leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, reports said.
 
The new guidelines framed by the court banned the use of photos of chief ministers, bureaucrats and political leaders in newspaper advertisements released by state and central government departments.
 
The top court was of the view that such advertisements have the potential of creating personality cults.
 
The judgement was issued in response to a petition filed by lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan, who sought strict rules to check the misuse of taxpayers’ money by those in power.
 
“All those state governments which have put up ads and hoardings at the taxpayers’ expense with photos of chief ministers and party leaders will now have to pull them down,” Bhushan told reporters after the verdict.

 

Courtesy: Hindustan times.com