Giving directions for the proper use of public funds, the High Court of Bombay at Goa directed that no advertisement appreciating the work of an individual, including a politician, should be released using public money. A division bench comprising justice P B Majmudar and justice N A Britto held, “If any officer of the department/authority commits any breach, the state shall take strict action against him by recovering the amount from the salary of such officer. An attempt should be made to see that public funds are not wasted in any manner in this behalf.”
In 2001, the court had taken suo moto cognizance about an advertisement released by the board of directors, management and staff of Goa Constructions Housing and Finance Corporation wishing the chairman on his birthday and wedding anniversary. The court was of the opinion that the advertisement could not have been issued and paid for by the public sector undertaking. It had also taken cognizance of a public interest litigation filed by one Siddharth Kuncalienkar on a similar issue.
The court directed that “as per the policy framed by the state government, the concerned departments of the state or public bodies shall give advertisements in connection with the work relating to any official matter of a particular department or body and no advertisement should be given appreciating the work of a particular individual.”