Union Government constitutes B B Tandon Committee to monitor Government Advertisements
The Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has constituted a three-member Committee to see that guidelines set for government advertisements by the Supreme Court are followed.
The committee will be headed by the former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) B B Tandon. Senior TV journalist Rajat Sharma and ad-man Piyush Pandey will be the other two members of the committee.
Background
The committee was constituted by I&B Ministry based on the recommendation of the three-member selection committee comprising Press Council Chairman Justice (retd) C K Prasad, I&B Secretary Sunil Arora and advertising professional Prasoon Joshi.
Supreme Court order on Government Advertisements
- In May 2015, Supreme Court in its order had issued Guidelines on Regulating Government Advertisements based on recommendations of Prof NR Madhava Menon Committee.
- In its order, SC had barred publication of photos of leaders in government advertisements except those of the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India.
- SC had also directed the Union Government to constitute a three-member committee to regulate the issue of public advertisements.
- It had clearly mentioned that members of this committee should be consisting of persons with unimpeachable neutrality and impartiality.
- However, in March 2016 SC modified its earlier May 2015 order and allowed photographs of Chief Ministers, Governors and ministers to be carried in public advertisements.
Related Posts
Month: Current Affairs - April, 2016