Advertisement (Regulation) Act, 2076

Analysis drawn from official reports, court rulings and published research, each cited. Figures are being double-checked against the source documents; corrections are welcome.

What does it do?

The Act (the Advertisement (Regulation) Act) regulates advertising and the advertising business. Anyone may advertise the quality or features of goods or services they sell, but hoarding boards visible from public places need a permit, and local governments may declare no-advertising zones and set time limits. Advertising is banned for goods or services whose production or sale is prohibited, gambling and unauthorised lotteries, obscene material, weapons and explosives, prescription medicines, unlicensed products, school and university textbooks, and superstition; ads may not harm sovereignty or social harmony, insult national symbols, defame, discriminate on any ground, use others' trademarks without permission, or disparage other products.यस ऐनले विज्ञापन र विज्ञापन व्यवसायको नियमन गर्छ। आफूले बेच्ने वस्तु वा सेवाको गुण वा विशेषताको विज्ञापन गर्न सकिन्छ, तर सार्वजनिक स्थलबाट देखिने होर्डिङ बोर्डमा विज्ञापन गर्न अनुमतिपत्र चाहिन्छ, र स्थानीय तहले विज्ञापन निषेधित क्षेत्र घोषणा गर्न र समय तोक्न सक्छ। उत्पादन वा बिक्री निषेधित वस्तु वा सेवा, जुवा र अनधिकृत चिट्ठा, अश्लील सामग्री, हतियार र विस्फोटक, चिकित्सकको सिफारिसमा मात्र बिक्री हुने औषधि, अनुमति नलिएका वस्तु, विद्यालय र विश्वविद्यालयका पाठ्यपुस्तक र अन्धविश्वासको विज्ञापन निषेध छ; सार्वभौमसत्ता वा सामाजिक सद्भावमा खलल पुर्‍याउने, राष्ट्रिय प्रतीकको अपमान गर्ने, गाली–बेइज्जती वा कुनै पनि आधारमा विभेद गर्ने, अनुमति बिना अरूको ट्रेडमार्क प्रयोग गर्ने वा अन्य उत्पादनलाई हतोत्साहित गर्ने विज्ञापन गर्न पाइँदैन। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Sections 3–5, 7–8, pp. 2–7
Foreign television channels broadcast in Nepal must be advertisement-free ('clean feed') — with one year allowed for channels already downlinked — and Nepali media may not broadcast foreign advertisements. Ads must show the advertiser's name and address and any required warning; email or SMS ads need the recipient's consent; government ministries, provinces and local governments get free or concessional rates for public-interest notices, and government bodies must advertise through the Board.नेपालमा प्रसारण हुने विदेशी टेलिभिजन च्यानल विज्ञापनरहित (क्लिन फिड) हुनुपर्छ — पहिलेदेखि डाउनलिंक भइरहेका च्यानललाई एक वर्षको समय — र नेपाली सञ्चारमाध्यमले विदेशी विज्ञापन प्रसारण गर्न पाउँदैनन्। विज्ञापनमा विज्ञापनकर्ताको नाम, ठेगाना र आवश्यक चेतावनी खुलाउनुपर्छ; इमेल वा एसएमएसबाट विज्ञापन गर्न प्राप्तकर्ताको मञ्जुरी चाहिन्छ; मन्त्रालय, प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहका सार्वजनिक सूचना निःशुल्क वा सहुलियत दरमा प्रकाशित गर्नुपर्छ, र सरकारी निकायले बोर्डमार्फत विज्ञापन गर्नुपर्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Sections 6, 9–13, pp. 6–8; Section 32, p. 18
An Advertising Board — a government-appointed chair, joint secretaries of the home, industry and communications ministries, representatives of advertisers and media, and three consumer or mass-communication experts (at least one woman) — regulates advertising and sets standards, with its office in the Kathmandu Valley. Prohibited-content ads are punished under other law or by up to one year's prison and a Rs 10,000 fine; breaching the clean-feed rule carries fines up to Rs 500,000, and hoarding-permit and other breaches up to Rs 100,000; complaints may be filed and compensation ordered, with appeal within 35 days.सरकारले नियुक्त गरेका अध्यक्ष, गृह, उद्योग र सञ्चार मन्त्रालयका सहसचिव, विज्ञापनदाता र सञ्चारमाध्यमका प्रतिनिधि र उपभोक्ता हित वा आमसञ्चारका तीन विज्ञ (कम्तीमा एक महिला) रहेको विज्ञापन बोर्डले विज्ञापनको नियमन र मापदण्ड निर्धारण गर्छ; यसको कार्यालय काठमाडौं उपत्यकामा रहन्छ। निषेधित विषयको विज्ञापनमा अन्य कानूनबमोजिम वा नभए एक वर्षसम्म कैद र दश हजार रुपैयाँसम्म जरिवाना; क्लिन फिडको व्यवस्था उल्लंघन गरे पाँच लाखसम्म, र होर्डिङ अनुमति लगायतका अन्य उल्लंघनमा एक लाखसम्म जरिवाना हुन्छ; उजुरी दिन र क्षतिपूर्ति भराउन सकिन्छ, र ३५ दिनभित्र पुनरावेदन लाग्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Sections 14–22, pp. 8–13; Sections 25–31, pp. 15–18

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