Centre moves apex court on poll ads

The information and broadcasting ministry has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court's order lifting the ban on advertisements by political parties on television channels.

A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister's residence yesterday. Those who attended the meeting included the adviser to the Prime Minister, Brajesh Misra, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Solicitor-General Soli Sorabjee and Bharatiya Janata Party President Venkaiah Naidu.

On March 23, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had quashed the ban. It had based the decision on a petition filed by the Gemini Television Network, ETV and Maa TV, which challenged Rule 7(3) of the Cable TV Act invoked by the information and broadcasting ministry and Election Commission in disallowing political advertisements.

The high court had observed that the ban amounted to discrimination between the two media (print and electronic) and was also violative of the right to freedom of trade and business.

Since the order was passed, the issue has snowballed into a controversy with the Election Commission and the government trying to pass the issue to the other. The ministry had recently written to the Election Commission to control these advertisements through the model code of conduct enforced by it for the elections.

Television channels expected to earn about Rs 100 crore from political advertisements in the run-up to the elections.

After the high court order, channels had initiated talks with various political parties. "We were in talks with various political parties before the Election Commission came out with the order. Again, after the Andhra High Court order, our marketing teams have been in talks with various political parties," said an executive with a leading television channel.

According to broadcasting industry sources, channels had also started to work with various political parties in preparing promos and campaigns. Parties are also directing their media cells to work with channels in preparing the creatives.