The lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court reserved its order in the PIl filed in connection with Union government’s Bharat Nirman advertisements. The two-judge bench consisting of Justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and D K Upadhyaya after hearing the petitioner and Union government’s counsel Asit Kumar Chaturvedi in details reserved the verdict.
As per the PIl filed by lucknow based social activistm Nutan Thakur, these ads do not present any relevant or useful facts for the public. She claimed that they are very apparently self-publicity sycophantic advertisement being used to fulfill the political agenda of political party in power, where the only focus is on the alleged achievements of the 9 years UPA rule. This waste and misuse of public money for self-oriented political goals cannot be permitted.
As per Thakur, these ads present photographs of Sonia Gandhi as Chairperson of UPA placed juxtaposed to that of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh which is arbitrary, discriminatory and improper because while the PM occupies a constitutional position, Chairperson of UPA has no constitutional or administrative authority. She sought ban on self-seeking government advertisements of political nature and restriction on putting photographs of non-constitutional political persons in such ads.