New Delhi: The Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) today (Mar 29, 2004) said all its 24 members have "unanimously" decided not to screen political advertisements, which make personal attacks against political personalities.

The IBF's decision comes even as the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has been asked by the Election Commission to revert with an action plan on a complaint by the Congress against a certain ad making an attack on its chief Sonia Gandhi.

"All the members have unanimously agreed not to screen political advertisements, which make any personal attacks. We do not want to become a platform for a slanging match," secretary general of IBF N P Nawani said.

However, he dismissed any association with the I&B Ministry's consultations on the issue, saying neither the ministry nor the EC had got in touch with the federation on the issue of political advertisements.

I&B Minister Ravi Shanker Prasad had yesterday directed ministry officials to hold a meeting of its advertising committee tomorrow to prepare a reply for the notice of the Election Commission on surrogate advertisements.

The ministry is also expected to seek legal opinion on the issue in the backdrop of the March 23 ruling of Andhra Pradesh High Court on political advertisements, striking down a rule under Cable Network Regulation Act, which barred political ads on electronic media, saying it was discriminatory and violative of the right to freedom.