APHC010056852024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY, THE NINTH DAY OF JULY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR, THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE RAVI CHEEMALAPATI WP(PIL) NO: 29 OF 2024 Between; Chennupati Singaiah, S/o. Ch.Rangaiah, Hindu, Aged about 84 years, Parchur Mandal, Occ Agriculture, R/o.Annambhotlavaripalem (V), Prakasam District Andhra Pradesh Aadhar No. 851418198842 PAN No. BCPPC9312P Bank A/c.No. 330302010093565, Union Bank of India, Chiiakaluripet Branch, Guntur District, AP Ph.No. 9502287020 ...Petitioner AND 1. The State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep. by its Chief Secretary, A.P. Secretariat, Velagapudi Amaravati, Guntur District. 2. The State of Andhra Pradesh, Rep. by its Principal Secretary, Finance Department, A.P. Secretariat, Velagapudi, Amaravati, Guntur District. 3. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Pocket-9, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, New Delhi-110124. 4. The Commissioner, information and Public Relation Department Government of Andhra Pradesh, A.P. Secretariat, Velagapudi Amaravati, Guntur District. r • % 1 -W 5. The Yuvajana Sramika Rytu Congress Party YSRCP, Plot No. 13, Suryadevara Townships, Tadepalli, Guntur District, AP Rep.by its General Secretary 6. Jagati Publications Private Limited Having its registered office at 6-3-249/1 Banjara Hills Main Road, Banjara Hills Hyderabad, Telangana State - 500 034 Rep. by its Managing Director Ja^tf'^i^^c^€ttV'Pl1Vate\^^ 7. Indira Televisions Limited, Having its registered office at H.No.6-3- 248/3, Sakshi Towers Road No.1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Telangana - 500 034 Rep.by its Managing Director 8. Sri Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, S/o.Late Sri Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy Occ Honble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh R/o.Ravindrapadu, Seethanagaram Road Tadepalli Village and Mandal, Guntur District Andhra Pradesh - 522 501 9. The Superintendent of Police, Central Bureau of Investigation Door No. 1-83/21-4, CBI Office Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh - 530017 10.The Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertising CCRGA, Room No.469, 4th floor, Soocha Bhavan CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003 Rep.by its Member Secretary MVP Double Road, MVP Colony ...Respondents Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue a Writ, Order or direction, more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ a) To declare the advertisements issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh through Respondent No.4 to Print, Electronic, Outdoor and other traditional media since 01-06-2019 to till this date are illegal, arbitrary and against the guidelines issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Common Cause Vs. Union of India dt. 13-05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03- 0 2016 and also in contravention of the Fundamental Rights under Art. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, b) To declare the advertisements issued through Respondent No.4 from 01-06-2019 to till this date in the Colours of flag of Respondent No.5 intended to promote the political interest of Respondent no.5 at the cost of state exchequer as illegal, arbitrary and against the guidelines issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Common Cause Vs. Union of India dt. 13-05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18- 03-2016 and also in contravention of the Fundamental Rights under Art. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India c) To declare the advertisements issued from 01-06-2019 till this date which contains the criticism of previous government and such other advertisements in all modes on glorifying the personality cult As illegal and violative of guidelines issued by the Supreme Court of India dt. 13-05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03-2016 and also in contravention of the Fundamental Rights under Art. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, d) To declare that the advertisements issued from 01-06-2019 only to promote the political interest of Respondent No.6, at the cost of State Exchequer in violation of the guidelines issued by the Flonble Supreme Court in Common Cause Vs. Union of India dt. 13-05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03-2016 and also in contravention of the Fundamental Rights under Art. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, e) To direct the respondent no.5 to reimburse the costs of the advertisements which were paid to the media towards advertisements in violation of the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in Common Cause Vs. Union of India dt. 13-05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03-2016 and also in contravention of the Fundamental Rights under Art. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, f) To declare that the persons who headed Respondents Nos.1, 2 and 4 offices from 01-06-2019 are responsible for the illegal publication of advertisements in violation of the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court of India in Common Cause Vs. Union of India dt. 13-05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03-2016 and also in contravention of the Fundamental Rights under Art. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, g) To direct the respondent no.I to handover the case to Respondent No.9 relating to the scam of illegal advertisements published from 01- 06-2019 to till this date which are in violation of the guidelines issued by the Honble Supreme Court in Common Cause Case dt. 05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03-2016 and also in / 13- contravention of the Fundamental Rights under Art. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. h) To direct the respondent no.4 to furnish information with details of the budgetary allocation to the advertisements in all modes from 01- 06-2019 till this date, the actual amounts spent towards advertisements in all modes from 01-06-2019 to till this date, the amounts paid to Respondent Nos.6 and 7 from 01-06-2019 to till this date and specify the particulars of authorities with all details who approved the advertisements in all modes in violation of the guidelines issued by the Honble Supreme Court of India in Common Cause case dt. 13-05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03- 2016 and also in contravention of the Fundamental Rights under Art. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. lA NO: 1 OF 2024 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to Direct the respondent no.4 to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the Honble Supreme Court of India in Common Cause vs. Union of India dt. 13- 05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03- 2016, in future and not to publish any material criticizing the previous Government in Yellow Colour pending disposal of the above writ petition (PIL). lA NO: 2 OF 2024 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to Prohibit Respondent No.4 from publishing any advertisements in any mode glorifying the personality cult of individuals and not to refer the names of any persons in future advertisements strictly in compliance of the guidelines issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Common Cause vs. Union of India Case dt. 13-05-2015 and confirmed in review petition dt. 18-03-2016 pending disposal of the above writ petition (PIL). lA NO: 3 OF 2024 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to direct the Respondent No.1 to handover the case to Respondent No.9 for registration and conducting investigation into the illegal acts committed by the beneficiaries in accordance with law official respondetns as well as the pending disposal of the above writ petition (PIL) Counsel for the Petitioner; SUDHAKARA RAO AMBATI ( None appeared) Counsel for the Respondent No. 1 :THE ADVOCATE GENERAL Counsel for the Respondent No. 2 :GP FOR FINANCE PLANNING Counsel for the Respondent No. 3; SRI K SWARNA SESHU Counsel for the Respondent No. 4;GP FOR GENERAL ADMINISTRATION Counsel for the Respondent Nos. 6 and 7: M/S INDUS LAW FIRM Counsel for the Respondent No. 8: SRI VIVEK CHANDRA SEKHAR S Counsel for the Respondent No. 9: DEPUTY SOLICITOR GENERAL OF INDIA The Court made the following order: APHC010056852024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH Sr.No:-io AT AMARAVATI [3483] WP(PIL) NO: 29 of 2024 Chennupati Singaiah ...Petitioner Vs. The State of Andhra Pradesh and others ...Respondents ********** Advocate for Petitioner: NONE Advocate(s) for Respondent(s); Mrs. S. Pranathi (Spl.GP) CORAM :THE CHIEF JUSTICE DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR SR! JUSTICE RAVI CHEEMALAPATI : 9*^ July, 2025 DATE PC : Mrs. S. Pranathi, learned Special Government Pleader, states that an F.I.R has since been registered in connection with the issues which are highlighted in the present petition. Be that as it may, the proceedings are closed. No order as to costs. Miscellaneous applications pending, if any, shall stand closed. Sd/- G. HELA NAIDU ASSISTANT REGISTRY // //TRUE COPY// SECTION OFFICER To, 1. One CC to Sri. Sudhakara Rao Ambati Advocate [OPUC] 2. One CC to M/s Indus Law Firm Advocate [OPUC; 3. One CC to Sri. K Swarna Seshu Advocate [OPUC] 4. One CC to Deputy Solicitor General of India [OPUC] « 5. One CC to Sri. Vivek Chandra Sekhar S Advocate [OPUC] 6. One CC to Smt. S Pranathi, Special Government Pleader, High Court of Andhra Pradesh [OUT] 7. Two CCs to GP for Finance Planning, High Court of Andhra Pradesh [OUT] 8. Two CCs to Pradesh [OUT] 9. Two CCs to The Advocate General, High Court of Andhra Pradesh [OUT] 10.Three CD Copies GP for General Administration, High Court of Andhra GSC i-f ; high court DATED:09/07/2025 ORDER WP(PIL) NO. 29 OF 2024 CLOSING THE WP (PIL) WITHOUT COSTS