The Delhi High Court today said the AAP government appeared "more interested" with regard to advertisements on buses as they would bring more revenue rather than focusing on a policy for ads on autos where the money would go to owner of the vehicles.
A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Vibhu Bakhru made the observation after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government told the court that it was reconsidering the entire policy of outdoor advertisements and handed over minutes of a meeting held regarding ads on buses.
"The minutes of the meeting deal with advertisements on DTC buses. Why don't you (Delhi government) answer the three questions raised by us?
"It appears you are more interested in buses as then you can display full body wrap advertisements and the revenue comes to you, unlike autos where the revenue goes to the owners," the court said and directed the government to "focus" on the three questions raised by the bench in its order of September 2014.
The bench gave the government time till July 22 to file an affidavit indicating its "clear stand" with regard to policy for advertisements on autorickshaws.
In its order of September 19, 2014, the court had focused on three issues - whether political advertisement should be allowed on public service vehicles, their pre-censorship, and whether advertisements ought to be allowed only for vehicles having GPS and GPRS systems.
The court was hearing two PILs filed on behalf of some auto unions challenging the government's policy on display of advertisements on public service vehicles and in which the court has already reserved its verdict.
The court has taken up the matter now as it wanted to know whether the government on its own would address the issues raised by the petitioners.
During the hearing, advocate Govind Jee, appearing for the petitioners, said the current government "was also insensitive like the previous ones" as it has not yet taken a decision and keeps asking for more time. He contended that reconsideration of the three aspects should not take so much time.
The earlier government had refused to remove the word
"political" from the guidelines.
In June 2013, the then Delhi government had banned advertisements on public service vehicles after auto-rickshaws started sporting AAP posters in the run-up to Delhi assembly elections.
Thereafter, the high court had stayed the ban.
In May 2014, the city government had informed the court that it was in the process of finalising the general guidelines for allowing advertisements on public service vehicles and it was awaiting approval of the Lt Governor.
On August 1, 2014, the government had placed before the court its latest guidelines for display of advertisements on public service vehicles, as per which advertisements containing political, ethnic, religious or sectarian text will not be permitted.
The policy also stated that advertisements cannot be displayed without prior approval of municipal bodies and would be allowed only for vehicles which have installed GPS/GPRS systems.
