SC to hear states' review pleas against verdict on govt advts.

The Supreme Court today agreed to review its landmark judgement barring the publication of photos of leaders in government advertisements except those of the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India.
A bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it will hear on September 14 the pleas of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal and Assam on the issue.
These state governments had sought the court's nod to publish photographs of Chief Ministers on their advertisements.
Recently, the apex court had sought response from the Centre as to whether it has set up a three-member ombudsman to regulate advertisements issued by various governments and authorities in pursuance of its decision on the issue.

The court's notice had come on an application filed by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) 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.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, had alleged that the Delhi and Tamil Nadu governments have "clearly and brazenly" defied the court order.
On May 13, the apex court had passed a slew of directions including the order asking the Centre to constitute a three- member committee "consisting of persons with unimpeachable neutrality and impartiality" to regulate the issue of public advertisements and rejected the plea that it should be done by the court itself.