Lok Sabha Question No. 2673 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-06
Subject: Public Advertisement Guidelines
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Ramya  Haridas

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2673 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.03.2020

## PUBLIC ADVERTISEMENT GUIDELINES

## 2673.  MS. RAMYA HARIDAS:

- Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state: (a) the  status  of  the  Committee  of  three  members  formed  in  response  to Supreme Court's directions to oversee the implementation of the Public Advertisement Guidelines; (b) the details of composition and meetings held so far; (c) whether such a Committee has been formed in all the States and if not, the list of such States and reasons for non-formation; (d) the details of complaints investigated by the Committee at the centre, yearwise; and details of action taken against authorities that violated guidelines as reported

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE; MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES {SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR}

(a) As  per  the  directions  of  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  in  judgment dated 13.5.2015, a Three Member Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertising (CCRGA) was constituted on 06.04.2016 to ensure the implementation of the Guidelines on Public Advertisement as laid  down  by  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  in  this

- (e) by the Committee?

judgment. After the expiry of tenure of said Committee, a new Three Member Committee was constituted on 05.12.2019.

- (b) The Composition of the current  Three Member Committee is as follows-

| (1)   | Shri Om Prakash Rawat, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India                                                                                                  | Chairman   |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|
| (2)   | Shri Ramesh Narayan, Executive Member, Asian Federation of Advertising Associations and Past President International Advertising Association (IAA), Indian Chapter. | Member     |
| (3)   | Dr. Ashok Kumar Tandon, Renowned Journalist and former part time member, Prasar Bharati Board.                                                                      | Member     |

Since its inception in April, 2016, CCRGA has held 18  meetings.

- (c) Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  had  directed  all  States  to  constitute their respective  Committees  to  ensure  implementation  of  the Guidelines  on  Public  Advertisements  in  their  States.  The  Central Government has also requested all States to appoint Committees to ensure  implementation  of  Supreme  Court  guidelines  on  Content Regulation. The constitution of such Committee in States is in the domain of the respective State Governments.
- (d) & (e) The CCRGA examines complaints received by it on the basis of suo-motu cognizance regarding violation of content regulation guidelines for Government Advertisements and recommends remedial action to the concerned authorities. Since its inception  in  April,  2016  the  number  of  complaints  examined  by CCRGA  is as under:

Year Number of complaints examined 2016-17 2 2017-18 3 2018-19 3 2019-20 (upto 2.3.2020) 2

After examining these complaints, in terms of guidelines issued by Hon'ble Supreme Court, CCRGA has issued appropriate directions or recommended remedial actions to the concerned authorities.

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