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Mrunal Summary: NR Madhava Menon report on Government ads

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[Elections]NRMadhavaMenonCommitteereportonGovernment
advertizementsinMedia
PostedByMrunalOn28/10/2014@3:29pmInpolity|7Comments

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1:NGOsPIL(2003)
2:UPAGovernmentsreply
3:SupremeCourtorder(2014,April)
4:MadhavaMenonreport(2014,October)

1:NGOsPIL(2003)
1. Governmentadvertisementsevencarryphotosofrulingpartyleaders(SoniaG),trytocreate
impressionasifsheisresponsibleforpublicgoods.
2. Whenrulingpartyusespublicmoneytogainpersonalpoliticalmileageingovernmentads,itviolates
followingarticles
a. Article14.[Equalitybeforethelaw]
b. Article21becausepublicmoneydivertedforpartisanuse.Thisisonetypeofarbitraryexecutive
actionthatundermineslibertyofthecitizens.
c. ThereforecitizencanseekremedyinSupremeCourt,underArticle32.

2:UPAGovernmentsreply
1. NGOpetitionerisexaggeratingthematter.Afterall60%oftheGovt.adsdealwithjobrecruitment,
publictenderandnotices.
2. Adsarenotdoneforpersonalpublicitybutforinformingjuntaaboutsarkarischemesnamedafter*you
knowwho*.
3. Thatway,juntacanmakeinformeddecisions.

3:SupremeCourtorder(2014,April)
1. Canada,AustraliahaveofficialpolicytoregulateGovt.adsandpreventtheirabuse.
2. ButIndiadoesnthavesuchpolicytodecidewhichadsaremeantforpublicawarenesspurposeand
whichadshavepoliticalmotive.
3. HenceweformCommitteeunderN.R.MadhavaMenon*tostudybestpracticesacrosstheworldand
recommendguidelinesforsarkaariads.
4. Committeetogivereportwithinthreemonths.
Committeemembers
N.R.MadhavaMenon ExDirector,NationalJudicialAcademy,Bhopal.
RanjitKumar
SolicitorGeneral
T.K.Viswanathan
ExLawSecretary

4:MadhavaMenonreport(2014,October)

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Mrunal Summary: NR Madhava Menon report on Government ads

MajorrecommendationsofMadhavaMenonCommitteeonGovt.ads
Governmentadsmustnotdisplayfollowing:
Stopglorificationofpoliticalfigureorpartyinpowerespeciallyontheeveofelections.
Donorpublishphotospoliticalleaders(exceptPresident/PrimeMinisterorGovernor/ChiefMinister)
Donornameofthepoliticalpartiesincludingrulingparty.
Nopoliticalsymbol/logo/flag.
Nowebsitelinkstopoliticalpartiesorpoliticalleader.
Noattackonoppositionparties.
Governmentadsshouldcoveronlyfollowing:
1. Adsrelatedtogovernmentresponsibilities,publicsafety,awareness.
2. Governmentadsshallmaintainpoliticalneutrality.Displaymessageinobjectiveandfairmanner.
3. Priortoelections,displaynoGovernmentads,exceptfollowing:
a. Lawandorderrelated
b. Publichealth,disasterprecaution,safetyadvisories
c. Jobapplications,tendercontractadvertisements
4. DuringNehru,Gandhiorxyzanniversary,multipleministries,departmentsandPSUsrunseparate
advertisements,thuswastingpublicmoney.Forsuchanniversaries/commemorations,issueonlysingle
advertisement.
5. Additionally:setupanOmbudsmantocheckviolationoftheseguidelines.

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Mrunal Summary: NR Madhava Menon report on Government ads

Ifcongresselectedbackinpower,theywontbeabletodothis
MockQuestion(GS2):Theuseofgovernmentadvertisingasatoolforpoliticalpropaganda,
especiallyduringelectiontime,hasbeenakeyconcerninmanydemocracies.Listthe
suggestionsmadebyMadhavMenonpaneltoaddressthisissueinIndia.200words.
VisitMrunal.org/PolityforentireArchiveofPolityarticlespublishedsofar.

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