Supreme Court reopens state advertising to private media: Everything you need to know
Summary
Nepal's Supreme Court annulled a government circular restricting state advertising to only state-owned media, restoring advertising opportunities to private outlets and reinforcing press freedom.
Key Points
- The Supreme Court of Nepal voided an April 2026 government circular that restricted state advertising solely to government-owned media outlets.
- The court's decision was retroactive, erasing the legal basis for excluding private media from government advertising payments.
- The government justified the ban as a measure to prevent financial leakages and middlemen commissions in advertising funds.
- Private media and journalist federations challenged the ban citing violation of statutory distribution rights and unconstitutional interference with press freedom.
- Kantipur Media Group diverged from most private media by supporting the government's move, citing corruption in the old advertising system.
