New Delhi, Aug 31 : The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and six states on a plea by an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmaker, alleging that advertisements are being issued at government expanses for political purposes to benefit the ruling party.
The states which have been issued the notice are Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
The bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi sought the response on the plea by AAP's Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha, who has sought a direction to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to reimburse to the Centre and the state governments concerned the money they have spent on advertisements allegedly to benefit the ruling party.
The notice has also been issued to the BJP. Telangana is ruled by the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti.
The petitioner has drawn the attention of the court towards "ex-facie violation and circumvention" of the directions issued by the top court by the Centre and the states controlled by the BJP
It has also pointed to the "gross dereliction of duty" by the committee set up by the Centre on April 6, 2016 in pursuance to the directions issued by the top court.
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Bengaluru/Belagavi (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday wondered whether there were no rapes during the BJP regime.
He was reacting to BJP's allegation about the deteriorating law and order situation in the state in the wake of a woman raped at KR Market in Bengaluru on Sunday night.
The victim who was waiting for a bus to Yelahanka was allegedly raped by two men. Police have arrested two people in this connection.
"The incident happened in SJ Park. The complaint pertains to extortion and sexual assault. Two people have been arrested," Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda told reporters here in Bengaluru.
Reacting to BJP's charges in this regard while speaking to reporters in Belagavi, Siddaramaiah asked "Haven't rapes taken place during the BJP regime?"
He said that rapes should not happen and women should be protected.
"Anti-social elements in the society do such things. We will take stringent action against them," the Chief Minister added.
The BJP on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Home Minister G Parameshwara claiming that the cases of crimes such as robbery, murder, rapes and atrocities on the weaker sections of the society have suddenly increased.