Adman Sandeep Goyal files PIL in Punjab & Haryana HC to curb surrogate ads

New Delhi: Veteran advertising executive Sandeep Goyal, Managing Director of Rediffusion, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, urging stricter enforcement against surrogate advertisements that indirectly promote alcohol and tobacco products. 

The petition seeks a government-led regulatory mechanism to address what Goyal calls a “growing menace” threatening public health, particularly among youth.

The PIL, argued by advocate Aadil Singh Boparai, prompted a bench led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel to issue notices to the central government, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). 

Goyal’s petition highlights violations of existing laws, including the Cable Television Network Rules 1994, the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003, and the CCPA Guidelines on Misleading Advertisements 2022. It cites examples like Vimal Elaichi, Rajshree Silver Coated Elaichi, and Pan Bahar ads, often featuring celebrities and aired during high-profile events like the IPL, which Goyal argues glamorise restricted products.

Goyal, a 62-year-old Chandigarh resident, has been a vocal critic of surrogate advertising since 2018, refusing to work with tobacco or alcohol brands after their direct advertising was banned in India. “The current redress mechanisms are too slow to counter the real-time impact of these ads,” Goyal stated, emphasising that surrogate ads fuel a public health crisis by influencing teenagers. He referenced studies, including one by AIIMS Delhi, linking such ads to increased tobacco and alcohol use among youth.

The petition calls for a centralised complaint redressal system under direct government oversight to monitor and regulate advertisements. “Only a robust mechanism can tackle this issue effectively,” the filing asserted, drawing on prior Supreme Court and high court calls for stronger advertising oversight. 

This legal move builds on Goyal’s earlier campaigns, including open letters to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) during events like the ICC Cricket World Cup, where he flagged brands like Kamla Pasand and Vimal for surrogate ads. 

The court has scheduled further hearings, with responses pending from the notified authorities.