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NEW
DELHI: Noting that stopping advertisements because of critical
reports ‘is totally undemocratic and shows pettiness
of mind’, Press Council of India chairman Justice Markanday
Katju has asked all state and central government units or
statutory bodies and public sector undertakings to issue notice
to the media before taking such action.
In
a letter, Justice Katju said that such action without notice
is totally unacceptable in a democracy as the press has the
right to criticise the governments, which must develop tolerance
and strength to stand up to criticism.
He
said that once it has been decided to give advertisements
to a newspaper/journal, stopping or reducing it thereafter
without giving an opportunity of hearing amounts to violation
of the principle of expectation and natural justice and, thus,
violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.
Even
after hearing the concerned media, a reasoned order must be
passing giving the reasons of such decision and this must
be communicated to the concerned newspaper/journal.
He
also said that clause 18 of the New Advertisement Policy of
the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP)
of 2007 must be followed in letter and spirit.
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