Panel to oversee release of ads by govt soon: Centre to HC

The Centre today told the Delhi High Court that it was in the process of forming a committee to oversee release of advertisements by governments and their agencies as per Supreme Court direction.
"We are on the way to form the committee," Centre's counsel Anil Soni told a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath which was not in favour of passing any interim order staying the release of some new advertisements by the Delhi government.
"I don't know why you are making hue and cry? Let the matter come up on November 5. We will hear it and decide it finally," the Chief Justice said when NGO Nyayaa Path sought interim stay on the ads issued recently by the AAP government.

Soni alleged that Delhi government was flouting apex court guidelines and said they cannot get away with it whether the three-member committee was formed or not.
The brief hearing also saw the Centre alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was misusing the money of state exchequer to glorify Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his party.
The Centre's lawyer said public funds were being misused by the AAP government despite a Supreme Court ruling that taxpayers' money cannot be spent to build the image of political leaders.
He made the submission before the court during the hearing of a couple of fresh applications filed by Congress leader Ajay Maken and the NGO opposing some recent ads issued by the Delhi government against a media house for its reports on an alleged onion scam as well as blaming other parties for inciting communal hatred between communities.

Senior advocate Chetan Sharma, appearing for the NGO, said apex court guidelines were being violated and the state exchequers money was being misused.