NGO moves SC seeking contempt action against AAP, AIADMK govts

An NGO today moved the Supreme Court seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and AIADMK-run Tamil Nadu dispensation for "disobeying" apex court guidelines on public advertisements.
The Centre for Public Interest Litigation, in its plea filed through lawyer Prashant Bhushan, referred to two advertisements, frequently shown on television, of the Arvind Kejriwal government and alleged that it allocated "22 times more funds for advertisement just to espouse its own cause and to create glorification of the government and its leaders."
It also sought contempt action against the Tamil Nadu government.
"The State of Tamil Nadu published advertisement dated May 26, May 30, June 02 and June 04 on completion of four years of tenure in almost all leading newspapers bearing photograph of the chief minister of the state. The advertisement ran into two full pages referring the chief minister as 'revolutionary leader' etc. Glorifying the government and the chief minister.

"Such advertisements have tendency to create personality cult by projecting the political leader and party in power for their own political benefit at government expenses," it said.
The petition also claimed that the advertisements clearly established the fact that they have been issued for "political glorification and mileage at government expenses."

Earlier the apex court, on May 13, had rejected the stand of the central government that judiciary should not encroach into government policies and executive decisions and had said that they can step in if there is no policy or law in place.
Decrying "personality cult" as an anti-thesis of democracy, it had barred publication of photos of leaders in government advertisements except those of the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India.

It had approved the suggestions given by a three-member committee on regulation of public advertisements, barring a few exceptions.