AAP govt sets up panel to regulate ads as per SC order

NEW DELHI: The AAP government has told the Delhi high court that it has set up its own panel to regulate advertisements as per a recent Supreme Court order.

NEW DELHI: The AAP government has told the Delhi high court that it has set up its own panel to regulate advertisements as per a recent Supreme Court order.

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The submission came in response to the contention made on behalf of Congress leader Ajay Maken that Delhi government was setting up its own panel in violation of the apex court directions.

The Delhi government told a bench of chief justice G Rohini and justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal that it received a letter from the Centre in May which said all states have to set up their own panel to implement the apex court guidelines on government advertisements.

TheDelhi government contended that setting up its own panel was permitted as per the apex court’s order of April 28. Maken’s lawyers, on the other hand, said they were not aware of any such order and added that only the Centre had the power to set up the expert panel.

In view of the opposing views, the bench directed the Delhi government to place before the court the April 28 order of the Supreme Court and listed the matter for further hearing on August 10.

Maken’s lawyers contended in court that the AAP government was “callously” using Delhi public’s funds to issue advertisements across India to get a “footprint” in other states.

He has sought that the issue of advertisements by the AAP government outside Delhi should be prohibited.

The court was hearing four PILs, including one by Maken, that have alleged that AAP government was issuing ads in violation of the guidelines.