MIB Stands Firm On Mandatory Ad Self-declaration Certificate

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) convened a meeting with industry stakeholders in New Delhi today to discuss the Supreme Court's recent order requiring advertisers and ad agencies to submit a self-declaration certificate before publishing ads on TV, print, digital and radio platforms. 
According to sources, ministry officials firmly stated that the mandate will remain unchanged and the submission of the self-declaration certificate is mandatory. While the MIB expressed willingness to cooperate as much as possible, officials made it clear that the mandate itself would not be altered.

Industry leaders who attended the meeting reported that ministry officials were unwilling to accept any feedback or extend the implementation date for the mandate, which is set for June 18.

Industry leaders, meanwhile, expressed dissatisfaction with the government's stand, stating that the policymakers should have consulted the stakeholders before implementing the mandate. While it is a Supreme Court order, the industry could have provided feedback about the viability of this plan, they say.
Industry observers believe that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has made a significant oversight in implementing the order.

"It appears to be an impossible task, given that there are more than 8,000 agencies in the country handling over 6,00,000 brands," said a source.
"Some big advertisers have multiple brands under their banner. If a self-declaration certificate is required for each ad, it will become tedious, and this may deter advertisers from advertising," the source shared.
"Keeping in view the scale of the advertising industry of India, it is going to be a problem. There are a lot of small-town agencies and advertisers who aren't even on the Internet, what about them? Either we will lose the business or we will lose the revenue," highlighted an official from a newspaper.
"The implementation of this is not only a cumbersome process but also inefficient," said another stakeholder.
"For instance, even if a person goes missing and his family needs to publish an advertisement request at 2:00 am, they will have to go through the whole obtaining the certificate," he added.

By the Supreme Court's instructions issued on May 7, self-declaration certificates will be required for all new advertisements starting June 18. A two-week buffer period has been provided to allow stakeholders ample time to familiarise themselves with the self-certification process. Ongoing advertisements do not currently require self-certification.
In the declaration certificate, advertisers must attest that their advertisements do not make any misleading claims and comply with all applicable regulatory requirements. For digital ads, the declaration must be posted on the MIB website, while for print ads, it must be posted on the Press Council of India website.