HC issues contempt notices to IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan over advertising policy

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday issued contempt of court notices to senior IAS officer and Principal Secretary to government, Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, in connection with a writ petition questioning the government’s new advertising policy of 2026. 

Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar of the High Court directed the IAS officer to appear before the bench in person or through an advocate on April 9 and explain the government’s stand in the matter. The contempt of court case was filed by the M/s Telangana Outdoor Media Owners Association and three others, stating that the government had wilfully disobeyed the HC order in a writ petition it had filed. 

According to the Association, the High Court had instructed the IAS officer to consider the representations of outdoor media owners and provide a fair hearing to them before taking a call on the advertising policy. It contended that without considering representations on points such as permitting advertising hoardings on private buildings, the government finalised the policy. 

This had serious ramifications on the livelihood of lakhs of persons who were depending directly and indirectly on outdoor media and advertising related works and installation of hoardings, the association argued.