Delhi High Court refuses to restrain AAP government from airing TV ads

Delhi High Court on 15 July refused to restrain the Delhi government from airing publicity campaigns and advertisements allegedly glorifying Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The ads allegedly run on public funds.

The Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Congress leader Ajay Maken who was seeking to restrain the Delhi government from airing the recently made audio visual advertisement and publishing the name of Chief Minister Kejriwal in any of its current or future advertisements.

These are allegedly in violation of the Government's Advertisement Guidelines, 2014.

• Kejriwal's government on 12 July issued an advertisement with the tagline saying, 'Wo pareshan karte rahein, hum kaam karte rahein' (they keep troubling us but we continue with our work).

• Shortly after, a plea was filed by an NGO called Nyaya Path, who demanded the immediate withdrawal of the recent television advertisement by the government. They also demanded a movement to restrain the AAP from such image building exercises, especially that of Arvind Kejriwal.

• The advertisement which was published from Mumbai is being telecast all over the country. Further, the petitioner inquired about the cost of the advertisement. He also questioned why an ad meant for the population of Delhi was being published from Mumbai.

• The SC judgement came after two days of the plea, which was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking directions against the AAP government. It was filed for violating Supreme Court guidelines that has disallowed publishing advertisements that glorify ministers.

• The Supreme Court on 13 May announced that "taxpayers' money cannot be spent to build personality cults of political leaders. No photographs of political leaders should be published in the government-funded advertisements." This is in complete disagreement with the said advertisement by the AAP.