The Central Information Commission has the directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to disclose the norms followed by the agency while portraying personalities in government advertisements.

The agency has to provide the information to Delhi resident Subhash Chandra Agrawal before March 10.

In Novembet last year, Agrawal filed an RTI application in the Chief Minister’s Office seeking the protocol about portraying personalities in government advertisements. He particularly wanted information about an advertisement published before the inauguration of Delhi Metro’s Yamuna Bank station.

According to media reports, state minister A.K. Walia was unhappy with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for not including his photographs in the advertisements. Walia represents Geeta Colony constituency, which is adjacent to the Yamuna Bank Metro station.
Agrawal's application was forwarded to DMRC and Directorate of Information & Publicity (DIP).

DIP stated that the advertisement was prepared by the DMRC and whether any norms were followed or not could only be revealed by that agency.

“As far as the advertisement published in the newspapers on inauguration of the Delhi Metro’s Yamuna Bank-Noida Link was concerned, the text and design of the advertisement was sent by Delhi Metro to Directorate of Information and Publicity for publication in the newspapers. It was published in the newspapers after seeking approval of competent authority,” was DIP’s response to Agrawal’s application. He then approached the CIC.

In his February 26 order, information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi ordered both the DMRC and DIP to provide the applicant with the information.