The AAP government on Thursday defended in the Delhi High Court its decision to spend money on advertisements, saying the purpose was to reach out to as many people as possible and inform them about the "government's policies and citizens' rights".
The Arvind Kejriwal government also told Justice V.P. Vaish that it had been creating public awareness about its policies on reducing corruption, reducing electricity bills and power cuts, free water, fixing potholes, increasing education and health budget etc. through these advertisements.
"Taking economic decisions is purely within the preview of the legislature and once a budget has been passed, it is not for the petitioner to dictate terms as to what is cost-effective and what not. As a matter of fact, economic decisions are not interfered with by courts either," the government said in an affidavit.
The court was hearing a plea seeking restraint on advertisements allegedly glorifying Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party.