NEW DELHI: A Supreme Court-mandated committee on content regulation in government advertising (CCRGA) issued a notice to the government in Delhi (AAP) over an advertisement which had appeared last week. The committee had taken sou-moto cognisance of concerns raised on social media that its purpose was only "political messaging." Several questions has been raised on the necessity of issuing the advertisement in Mumbai newspapers.
The one-page advertisement was published by the department of education and directorate of information & publicity, government of NCT of Delhi.
It was heavily criticised on social media with many claiming that it was just political messaging and there was no point in spending huge sums of money to publish the ad in other states.
"Historic! Delhi government schools class 12 results — 98 per cent," said the Delhi government advertisement, which was published in several newspapers on 16 July.
CCRGA demanded a reply to various issues, like cost to the exchequer, within 60 days upon receiving the notice.
"The committee had taken suo-motu cognisance of the points raised in the social media on the Delhi government advertisement — questions had been raised on the necessity of the Delhi government to issue advertisements in Mumbai newspapers and had pointed that the purpose of the ad was only for political messaging," a statement issued by the ministry of information and broadcasting said.
"The one-page advertisement was published by the department of education and directorate of information and publicity, government of NCT of Delhi," the statement said.
The committee is allowed to address complaints from the general public on violation of the supreme court guidelines and make suitable recommendations, the statement said.
The committee can also take suo-motu cognisance of any violation or deviation of the supreme court guidelines and recommend corrective actions, it added.
Presently the CCRGA is chaired by Om Prakash Rawat, former chief election commissioner of India, and its members are Ramesh Narayan of Asian Federation of Advertising Associations and Past President, IAA and Ashok Kumar Tandon, Member, Prasar Bharati board.
