Govt sets up panel to check misleading ads

The government today decided to set up an inter-ministerial committee to suggest ways to check misleading advertisements and also review various existing laws to make them more effective.

In view of a large number of complaints from consumers about misleading advertisements, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister KV Thomas today held a meeting to discuss the issue.

The meeting was attended by officials of various central ministries, state governments, advertising industry, educational institutes, representatives of media and NGOs.

"There are number of advertisements which appear both in the print and electronic media, which are misleading. The Department has been getting complaints.

"I have discussed them with key people and we have decided to set up a 15-member committee to find time-bound solution to redress complaints," Thomas told reporters here.

In the meeting, provisions of various existing Acts to check misleading advertisements were discussed and it was felt that there is an urgent need to make them more effective in view of latest trends of advertising.

"There are at least eight legislations that have provisions to deal with misleading advertisements. We will review all of them and give teeth," he said.

The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954, The Young Persons (Harmful Publication Act) 1956, Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986, The Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisements and Regulation of trade, consumption and production, supply and distribution) Act, 2003 are among those laws to be reviewed.

It was also suggested that mass awareness campaigns should be started at various levels to educate consumers about the provisions of these Acts.

"Participants suggested that the Consumer Affairs Ministry should also take up the complaints suo-moto with consumer courts," the statement said.

Another suggestion which came up during the meeting was that the possibility of setting up independent federal body to take suo-moto action against misleading advertisements should be explored in order to protect the consumers interest.