New Delhi: The Supreme Court today modified its earlier order by allowing publication of pictures of Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, Governors and State ministers in government advertisements.
The SC had earlier this week reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions filed by the Centre and many states, seeking a review of its earlier judgment restricting publication of government advertisements with CMs and other ministers pictures.
“We review our judgement by which we have allowed the publication of pictures of the President of India and Prime Minister in the government advertisements," a bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and PC Ghose said.
"Now we allow the publication of pictures of Union Ministers of concerned departments, Chief Ministers, Governors and State Ministers of the concerned departments. Rest of the conditions and exceptions will remain as it is,” the SC bench observed.
The Central government had in its petition opposed apex court’s order saying ‘in a federal polity, the position of Chief Ministers or Union Ministers was in no way less than that of the PM’.
Contending that the right to give information and the right to receive information under constitution's article 19(1)(a) could only restricted by a law framed under article 19(2), Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had told the SC that the rights under article 19(1)(a) could not be restricted by a judicial order.
The court in May last year held that only photographs of Prime Minister, President and Chief Justice of India can be published in government advertisements.
