1. The present petition is filed in public interest. It seeks a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the Union of India, various States in India and public sector undertakings (PSUs) to produce the respective records regarding expenditure incurred for giving advertisements. According to the petitioners, the said expenditure is a wasteful expenditure. According to the petitioners, such advertisements are given to enhance images of political leaders. In short, the petitioners seek to challenge the authority of the Union of India and various States as also PSUs, in the matter of their incurring expenditure on advertisements.

2. We find no merit in this petition. Firstly, we find that detailed guidelines have been framed by the Union of India – Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), which is the nodal agency of the Government of India for advertising by various ministries and organizations of the Government of India. Similarly, in each State there is a Department of Information which is the nodal agency for releasing advertisements. Since guidelines have been framed by DAVP as well as the Director of Information in each of the States, we see no reason to interfere. The matter is also squarely covered against the petitioners by the judgment of the Bombay High Court in Laxman Moreshwar Mahurkar v. Balkrishna Jagannath Kinikar (AIR 1961 Bom 167 [LQ/BomHC/1960/104] ).

3. Accordingly, the writ petition stands dismissed
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