Purchase of newspaper: SC issues notices to AP government

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Andhra Pradesh state government and others in a petition filed by Ushodaya Publications, which owns Telugu daily 'Eenadu', challenging the AP government order allegedly aimed at improving sales of 'Sakshi' newspaper (allegedly owned and controlled by Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh) to all the village and ward secretariats.

The legal battle between the AP government against rivals, including in the media, took a new turn when the state government issued the GO sanctioning Rs 200 per month to the village and ward secretariats to buy 'Sakshi' purportedly to increase its sale.

However, this was challenged in the state High Court by Ushodaya Publications but the court refused to stay the order as the GO did not specify that the secretariat employees should be buying only a particular paper.

The petitioner has approached the apex court against the judgement of the Andhra Pradesh High Court which refused to quash the GO in question. The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice in the matter returnable to on April 210,

The matter was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice P S Narasimha, and Justice JB Pardiwala.