SC to reconsider judgment banning CMs’ photos in official ads

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 14

The Supreme Court today agreed to reconsider its judgment banning chief ministers' photographs in official advertisements.

A Bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it would hear all the states before coming to any conclusion.

All the states would be heard at length, it clarified.

The SC had said official advertisements could carry the photographs only the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice.

The four states have pleaded against discriminating the CMs against the PM despite the fact that all were Constitutional functionaries.

Going by the importance of the issue, the apex court said it would ascertain the views of all the states and accordingly issued notice to all the states.

Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Karnataka have come to the SC seeking a review.

The Bench, however, noted that none of the states, except Bihar, had opposed the PIL petitioner Common Cause’s plea for a ban on the use of political leaders' photographs in official advertisements. The SC had delivered the judgment on the PIL.