Display of advertisements in KSRTC buses | Supreme Court keeps in abeyance Kerala High Court Order

The Order was passed on a petition filed by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, which said the High Court direction would severely hamper the size of its fleet, especially during the peak Sabarimala season.

The Supreme Court on January 9 kept in abeyance a Kerala High Court Order of December 9 prohibiting public buses from featuring advertisements on them.

A Bench led by Justice Surya Kant issued notice to the State of Kerala while noting submissions that the government is considering changes in the Rules after taking into consideration the dangers posed by advertisements and dazzling displays of LED lights on public buses, which tend to distract other drivers and might result in accidents.

The Order was passed on a petition filed by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) which said the High Court direction would severely hamper the size of its fleet, especially during the peak Sabarimala season.

The corporation had said it has followed the regulations and that its buses had advertisements only on the side or the rear. They do not block the view from the inside of the vehicle. The advertisement, though only a "trickle", go a large way in helping the financially beleaguered transport corporation. They rake in a revenue of ₹1.5 to two crore monthly. KSRTC has a debt to the tune of ₹9,000 crore.

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Beaides, the corporation needs enough buses to ply the Sabarimala pilgrims. It cannot afford to lay off buses with ads on them.

“Around 70,000 to one lakh devotees are visiting Sabarimala temple on a daily basis owing to the auspicious time as it is the peak season and the corporation, being the only State owned transport corporation, is responsible for providing the essential bus services to the general public at large, which is currently being hampered owing to the operations of the Order,” the KSRTC had argued.