MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has come out sharply against ads that have been found ‘violative’ of the rules by Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). In an advisory, the MIB has warned TV channels not to carry such ads.
It states that non-compliance of ASCI’s code of self regulation was a violation of rule 7 (9) of the Advertising Code contained in the Cable Television Network Rules (1994) which states that ‘no advertisement which violates the code of self regulation in advertising, as adopted by ASCI for public exhibition in India, from time to time, shall be carried in the cable service.’ Therefore, the ASCI decisions are not just bound for compliance by advertisers but also by TV channels. Any violation of ASCI rules implies violation of the advertising code enshrined in the CTN Act 1995 and rules 1994.
Also, the Inter- Ministerial Committee (IMC) observed that ASCI has pointed to possible violation of the provision of drug and magic remedies (objectionable advertisements) Act 1954 and rules 1955. Therefore it has recommended that TV channels do not telecast such ads. The recommendation has already been accepted by MIB.
