Why no condom ads in day, Rajasthan HC asks Centre

The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday sent notice to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry seeking reasons on why condom advertisements cannot be aired throughout the day and why should the ads be telecast within 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. only.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on December 11 issued an advisory barring condom advertisements before 10 p.m. and after 6 a.m. with a view to prevent children from watching "indecent and inappropriate" content on television.

This advisory was challenged in the Rajasthan High Court by the NGO, Global Alliance for Human Rights.

Hearing the PIL, the bench of Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and D.C. Somani issued notices to the Central government, to the Principal Secretary and the Union Health Secretary.

The court has asked the respective departments to give reasons in eight weeks why the condom advertisements cannot be telecast outside the fixed hours stretching from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The applicant, in the PIL, has mentioned that the country's population is expanding with leaps and bounds and in this reference, people need to be made aware of contraceptives.

"If the telecast of the advertisement is limited to 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., how can it ensure that the advertisement is reaching among all its target audience. There will be a limited access to the ad if the time to telecast it is limited," the PIL said.

The PIL also highlighted the increasing number of AIDS cases in India and said that if condom ads are aired throughout the day, the disease can also be checked in the country as people will be aware about the protection measures.

--IANS

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