A full page advertisement of BJP’s East Delhi candidate Gautam Gambhir endorsing a cricket game app, which appeared in an English daily, invited a show cause notice from the East Delhi Returning Officer on Tuesday over allegations of ‘surrogate advertising’. According to the order by the RO, the advertisement, promoting an app called ‘CricPlay’, appeared in Delhi Times, a supplement of The Times of India, on April 26. It carried an image of Mr. Gambhir along with the phrase “Ab Mere Sath India Khelega” and also offered a daily cash prize to winners. “This appears to be a surrogate advertisement, which appears to have political overtures in favour of contesting candidate,” read the order. Mr. Gambhir has been asked to furnish documents to show if the advertisement was pre-certified.

Source: The Hindu April 30, 2019 17:10 UTC