The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre and the states on a public interest plea that alleges blatant misuse of government advertisements by ruling parties, and refers to the use of the Prime Minister’s images on Covid vaccine certificates, ration cards and PDS grain sacks.

The petition, moved by the NGO Common Cause, also complains that government advertorials are being passed off as news.

The bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hima Kohli issued the notices after advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, alleged that governments were violating guidelines the apex court had issued in 2015 on earlier petitions from Common Cause.

In 2015, the apex court had passed an order allowing government advertisements to carry the photographs of only the President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice. This was later modified to allow the photographs of governors, chief ministers, other cabinet ministers and ministers-in-charge in the central and state governments.

“However, after this order, it has been seen that the photographs of these functionaries are being very liberally used in government advertisements for personality projection,” the petition says.

“The malaise has become such that even rations are being distributed in sacks with photos of Prime Minister. Vaccine certificates are being issued with the photos of the Prime Minister. Chief ministers of states are also similarly misusing this leeway given to them.”

The NGO has alleged that state governments are publishing advertisements outside their territorial limits solely to project personalities.

It has complained that government ads are being published in the run-up to elections, saying this is prone to misuse and creates an unequal playing field.