The Supreme Court cautioned states and union territories against inaction on misleading advertisements, warning it may initiate contempt proceedings if proper measures are not taken, according to reports.
A bench led by Justice Abhay S Oka expressed dissatisfaction with the Delhi government’s explanation—citing difficulties in identifying offenders—and termed it “peculiar.”
The court has sought status reports from Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, and Jammu & Kashmir on the actions taken in response to complaints regarding misleading ads. The bench scheduled compliance reviews for these states on February 10.
Separately, the Supreme Court on Wednesday closed contempt proceedings against Indian Medical Association (IMA) President R V Asokan following his unconditional apology for remarks made against the apex court in April 2024.
Asokan had earlier been directed to publish apologies in prominent newspapers after he criticised the Supreme Court’s suggestion that allopathic doctors address unethical practices in modern medicine—remarks that were perceived to have “demoralised” the medical fraternity.