Re: Supreme Court on government-advertisements
Dwarka Forum(Regd)
Supreme Court on government-advertisements
It refers to Supreme Court forming three-members’ committee to suggest guidelines for government-advertisements. But this committee should also study photo-publicity of political rulers through free-distributed items like laptops or on government-forms. Public money is being grossly misused for photo-publicity of political rulers now through multi-page super-costly advertisement in newspapers and long video-advertisements on TV channels. Political rulers should take lesson from Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam who declined to be part of such photo-publicity when he did not permit publishing of his photo in newspaper-advertisements on 26.09.2013 in respect of a function by postal-department in which he was the Chief Guest, with political rulers continuing misuse the opportunity by getting their photos printed in the said advertisements.
Chairperson of National Advisory Council (NAC) Sonia Gandhi once publicly spoke against photo-publicity in government-advertisements. Dr Manmohansingh on first time taking charge as Prime Minister also desired his photos not to be published in government-advertisements. But surprisingly such unhealthy practice could not be stopped with photos of both Sonia Gandhi and Manmohansigh continuing appearing in government-advertisements. The then Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin pulled up the then Delhi Chief Minister and her minister for getting their photos printed on application-forms for ration-cards. Conflicts between Union and state governments on photos of Prime Minister or Chief Minister painted on schemes launched by Union government but implemented by state governments came to light in case of photos to be painted on ambulances in Punjab. Huge amount of funds were wasted on first putting huge sign-boards on national highways on national highways with photos of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee which had to be covered during poll-process and ultimately removed on change of political rulers at the Central government.
It is so simple a matter that Supreme Court can direct complete ban on publishing photos of at least living persons in government-advertisements, forms and other projects/items etc of public-welfare as an interim measure with immediate effect. Committee formed by Supreme Court can suggest more guidelines like fixing some maximum percentage of budgetary receipts on government-advertisements, banning such advertisements on birthday-celebrations and personal achievements of political rulers etc.
MADHU AGRAWAL
(Guinness Record Holder for letters in Newspapers)
1775 Kucha Lattushah
Dariba DELHI 110006 (India)
Tel 23253636
Mobile 9810080011
Fax 23254036
E-mail subhas...@sify.com
23.04.2014
MOIAB/E/2014/00462
PRSEC/E/2014/07663