Supreme Court allows photos of Governor, CM, ministers in government advertisements

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the publication of the photos of governor, chief minister and the ministers of the department concerned in government advertisements.

The top court's order comes after, the Centre and some states including poll-bound West Bengal and Tamil Nadu had sought revision of the SC verdict barring publication of leaders’ photos in advertisements except those of President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India, saying that it infringed fundamental rights and federal structure.

The apex court bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi and PC Ghose said, "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. 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 bench said.

The apex court allowed the publication of photos of governor, chief minister and ministers of departments concerned while modifying their earlier order by which the court had permitted photos of president, prime minister and CJI only in the government ads.

The Centre had on October 27 last year joined hands with several state governments in seeking review of the Supreme Court's landmark judgement on the issue. 

The centre and the states of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka had moved the court seeking the review of its earlier order, contending that it was contrary to the federal structure of the country.

On May 13, 2015 the apex court had passed a slew of directions including the order asking Centre to constitute a three-member committee "consisting of persons with unimpeachable neutrality and impartiality" to regulate the issue of public advertisements. 

(With agencies inputs)