A bench of the Supreme Court of India comprising of Justices Ranajn Gogoi and Pinaki Chandra Ghose has, today, agreed to review its judgment dated 13 May 2015 wherein the same bench had prohibited the use of photographs of politicians or leaders other than the President, Prime Minister or the Chief Justice of India, in print ads placed by the government.

The order of the Supreme Court to have an open court hearing was pronounced on the review petitions filed by the States of Karnataka, Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

After going through the review petitions in chamber, bench ordered:

Applications for hearing in open Court are allowed.

List the matters before the appropriate Bench on Monday i.e. 14th September, 2015

Earlier judgment

The 13 May judgment was pronounced on a PIL matter pending for ten years, wherein it was contended by the petitioners that undue political advantage and mileage was being sought in the garb of communicating with the people by personifying individuals and crediting such individuals or political leaders as being responsible for various government achievements and progressive plans. According to the petitioners such practice became rampant on the eve of the elections. They had claimed that such advertisements not only result in gross wastage of public funds but also constitute misuse of governmental powers besides derogating the fundamental rights of a large section of the citizens as guaranteed by Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

Read Order

Mohit Singh

Mohit Singh is an advocate at the Supreme Court of India.

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Original author: Mohit Singh