The Apex court today refused to entertain a PIL for framing guidelines to regulate advertisements given by the Government to project its achievements, saying that elections are round the corner and the timing is not appropriate to hear such a plea.
A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathsivam asked the petitioner, who alleged that Governments spend crores of rupees in advertisements to project the ruling party and its leaders at the cost of public exchequer, to approach the court after the general election.
“You are right but the timing is wrong. Take a chance after the election. We cannot hear the plea at this stage,” the bench said.
It also questioned the petitioner Kochouspeh Chittilappilly as why he had approached the court at the “eleventh hour”.
“Time is not appropriate. It cannot be heard at the eleventh hour,” it said.
The petitioner alleged that in Government advertisements the name of the political party and picture of political leaders were published which needed to be regulated.