Bombay HC Directs State To Form Oversight Committee To Prevent Misuse Of Public Funds On Govt Ads

The Bombay High Court has recently directed the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court's guidelines to ensure that there is no abuse or misuse of public funds for issuing advertisements for extraneous purposes. The Court noted that the Supreme Court had previously directed the formation of a three member comittee to oversee the implementation of advertising guideliines, a directive that has not been followed in Maharashtra.

The High Court has ordered the formation the three member before the date of next hearing to adher to the Supreme Court's guidelines that advocated for highest standard of accountability in government advertising practices. 

During the proceedings before the Bombay High Court, the Editors's Forum had accused the state and various agencies, including the Bombay Muncipal Corporation of flouting GRs issued on multiple occassions, specifically on May 01, 2001, August 13, 2008. August 31, 2009 and October 19, 2015. The petitioners claimed that these violations incllude breaches of the rotation policy for advertisement distribution, the release of ads to non approved newspapers and channels and the involvement of non approved creative agencies.

The petitioners further emphaisied the need for strict adherence of GRs and asked for the establishment of a commission to investigate the alleged illegalities committed bt the Directorate General of Information and Publiic Relations and the government bodies.