Kathmandu, August 22

Development and Technology Committee of the Parliament on Wednesday passed the Advertisement Regulation Bill adopting stricter provisions for offensive advertisements.

Kalyani Khadka, chairperson of the committee, informed that the bill was unanimously endorsed by the committee and will soon be tabled at the Parliament.

Among others, the Advertisement Regulation Bill has been passed with the provision of up to one year of jail term for operators of media companies for publishing or broadcasting any advertisement-related offences. The bill states that ‘owner of a media firm will be liable to face jail term of up to one year or fine of up to Rs 10,000 or both if found to have published or broadcasted offensive advertisements’.

Similarly, the bill has also barred media companies from publishing any advertisement with wrong information, advertisements that promote unhealthy competition in the market, promote gender discrimination or advertisements that expose information which are confidential by law.

Media owners entertaining such advertisements will also be liable to jail term, as per the bill.

Along with this, the bill has also barred the publication of advertisements that break trademark or design of other companies, defame labour or affect fair election.

Meanwhile, the Advertisement Regulation Bill has proposed forming an Advertisement Board to regulate the advertisement sector and introduce necessary policies in the advertisement industry.