_20240619020100_original_image_21.webp)
Following the Supreme Court's directive from June 18, 2024, the Press Council of India (PCI) issued guidelines requiring advertisers and agencies to obtain a self-declaration certificate before publishing ads. This certificate ensures the truthfulness of advertisement claims, according to PCI.
PCI stated, “As a process, for all advertisements to be printed effective 18th June 24, self-declaration certificates will have to be sent to the booking team via Email with the Release Order/Materials. The relevant advertisements will not be printed without obtaining the certificate in advance."
The statement also specified that government ads, tenders, public notices and obituaries are excluded from this requirement. While classified ads are generally exempt, those directly related to consumer products and services will still need certification.
It also stated that any claim of benefit or sale of a product or service defined in ROL will require certification. A new certificate is needed for each publication date, but one certificate will suffice for multi-city editions if the brand content is consistent across all editions. However, a single certificate will not cover multiple language editions.
PCI further clarified, “In an ideal situation, the client needs to share the certificate, else the client can authorise the ad agency to share the certificate. As a publication (BCCL), our responsibility is only to check if self-certification exists.”
The self-declaration certificate for print ads can be generated via the Press Council of India's website. Authorised representatives of advertisers or advertising agencies can submit the necessary details on the portal to obtain the certificate.
