NEW DELHI: Cases of “excessive and selective’’ advertisements could be examined by the BB Tandon panel set up by the Centre to look into issues related to content regulation in government advertising.

“It is possible that the Tandon Committee may look into such matters,” I&B ministry officials said when asked how the government will address the issue of “excessive and selective” government advertisements. Finance minister Arun Jaitley, who also holds the I&B portfolio, had on Saturday voiced concern over “selective and excessive” advertising by a state government and wondered if it amounted to “political bribery”.

Jaitley had not named any party but his remarks come at a time when BJP has been attacking the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi over its advertisement budget. The I&B ministry had last month set up a three-member panel headed by Tandon — a former chief election commissioner — to see that guidelines set for government advertisements by the Supreme Court are followed. Senior journalist Rajat Sharma and ad-man Piyush Pandey are other members of the panel.

Meanwhile, proposals received from Delhi assembly Speaker and the Tamil Nadu government for starting new channels are likely to be turned down, the officials said. Officials indicated that recent instances of cable monopoly in Punjab and Tamil Nadu had raised concerns over the misuse of a channel run by a state or political party.

Incidentally, TRAI recommendations are also not in favour of allowing Centre, states and parties into broadcast activities. However the ministry has not taken a final view on the issue yet.



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