Following SC order on issuing ads, Delhi government tells HC

The city government on Thursday told the Delhi High Court it has been complying with Supreme Court's directions on using public money on government advertisements.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath was told by the Delhi government that the order was followed in "letter and spirit".

"In letter and spirit we are following the order," advocate Rahul Mehra appearing for Delhi government told the bench.

He further said that the central government has not yet constituted a committee to oversee the release of advertisements by governments and their agencies following the Supreme Court ruling that such ads cannot be used for the benefit of political leaders.

Central and various state governments have filed petitions seeking review of the Supreme Court order, he added. The court would hear the matter next on December 1.

The high court was hearing a bunch of PILs including by Congress leader Ajay Maken saying the AAP government in Delhi was still issuing advertisements in violation of the Government Advertisement (Content Regulation) Guidelines of 2014.

The PILs sought directions to the Delhi government to immediately withdraw such advertisements and "restrain itself from such type of image building exercise of (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal".