‘Prima facie, ad disparaging’: SC on BJP plea on HC order

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) challenging a Calcutta High Court order that had refused to interfere with a single-judge verdict restraining the party from issuing advertisements allegedly violative of the model code during the Lok Sabha polls. A vacation bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and K V Viswanathan declined to interfere with the high court order. “Prima facie, the advertisement is disparaging,” the noted. Appearing for BJP, Senior advocate P S Patwalia sought permission to withdraw the matter after the bench expressed disinclination to entertain it.

A division bench of the high court had on May 22, stated its disinclination to entertain the appeal against the interim order issued by the single-judge bench.

The single-judge bench, on May 20, had prohibited the BJP from disseminating advertisements that breached the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) until June 4, the day when the Lok Sabha poll results are slated to be announced.

Additionally, the court had restrained the saffron party from publishing the advertisements highlighted by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, as part of its plea alleging unverified accusations against the BJP and its members.