Plea against govt ads: Kerala HC refuses to grant interim relief

Kochi: High court on Thursday directed the state govt to file a counter affidavit within 10 days in response to PILs challenging the issuance of a series of govt advertisements in print media, allegedly glorifying the rule of the LDF-led govt using public funds.While considering the PILs, a bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V M Syam Kumar orally observed that there was no prima facie case and that the maintainability of the PILs also needed to be decided. The court also declined to grant the interim relief sought in the petitions to restrain govt officials from issuing such advertisements. Subsequently, the division bench adjourned the PILs filed by Muhammed Shiyaz, the DCC president of Ernakulam, and Sharon D Panackal, a former member of the Ernakulam district panchayat, for consideration after 17 days.The petitioners contended that the practice of the LDF-led govt issuing a series of govt advertisements in print media violates the ruling of the Supreme Court in Common Cause vs Union of India, which strictly requires political neutrality in govt advertisements and prohibits projecting a negative impression of opposition parties. They further sought a directive to the concerned officials and authorities responsible for the approval, sanction, and publication of the impugned advertisements through the information and public relations department (I&PRD) to reimburse the state treasury for the entire cost incurred for such publications.The petitioners mainly challenged the jacket advertisement published on the front page of the recent issues of leading dailies, in which the govt allegedly accused the previous UDF-led govt of load shedding, losses in KSRTC, threats of school closures, among other issues. Additionally, the petitioners sought a detailed investigation into the alleged misappropriation of public funds for the advertisements by constituting a special investigation team.