India News | 8,145 Complaints of Misleading Ads Received, Accepted in Last 3 Years in GAMA Portal: Govt

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) As many as 8,145 complaints of misleading advertisements were received and accepted in the last three years by the Department of Consumer Affairs' online portal Grievance Against Misleading Advertisements (GAMA), the Centre said on Friday.

Responding to a query in the Lok Sabha on the broadcast of misleading advertisements, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said that in 2018, 2019 and 2020, the GAMA portal received 2,939, 3,416 and 1,790 grievances respectively.

About misleading advertisements on Doordarshan, the minister said Prasar Bharti has informed that no such complaint has been received in the last three years.

"All advertisements telecast on TV channels are regulated in accordance with the Advertising Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. Prasar Bharti has informed that no complaint about misleading advertisements on Doordarshan has been received during the last three years," he said.

The Department of Consumer Affairs had launched the online portal GAMA in 2015.

The minister said under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, a Central Consumer Protection Authority has been established with effect from July 24, 2020, which inter-alia looks into misleading advertisements either suo motu or on complaints or on directions from the central government.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issues advisories from time to time to broadcasters for ensuring compliance to the Advertising Code, he said.

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