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Processing a Complaint
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Procedure for Processing a Complaint against an Ad, for contravention of ASCI Code

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1. On receipt of a complaint (should be complete with relevant particulars including clipping or copy of print Ad/promotion material provided by complainant), the Secretariat will acknowledge the complaint and request the advertiser / agency to provide comments / response in respect of the complaint. Secretariat will send out these two letters within 5 working days of receipt of the complaint.

ASCI’s letter to the advertiser will carry an annexure, which contains verbatim the entire complaint of the complainant (with annexures/attachments), but care will be taken to see that the identity of the complainant is not revealed. In case, if the attachments include laboratory test reports, the identity of the laboratory or the source of authentication will be concealed.

Complainants, who are advertisers themselves, are required to provide an additional copy of the complaint and annexures/attachments, if any, on plain paper so that the additional set may be forwarded to the advertiser for their comments.

2. ASCI will give the advertiser 2 weeks for response, from date of receipt of ASCI letter. ASCI Secretariat will allow 3 days for receipt of letter by the advertiser.
3. In the first instance, if the complaint appears extremely frivolous and there seems to be no basis for the complaint, then the Secretary General will not send out a letter to the advertiser but will refer the complaint to the Vice-Chairman. If the Vice-Chairman also feels that the complaint is baseless, then the complaint will be put up at the next CCC meeting without comments from the advertiser. The CCC will direct further action.
4. Complaint with all supporting information provided by the complainant and the advertiser / agency complained against, will be placed on the agenda of the next CCC meeting (usually held in the 4th week of each month).
5. If the matter is technical, the CCC may decide to refer the complaint to an expert, if available, chosen from a list of experts nominated by the Board as experts in certain areas like soaps and detergents, drugs, lubricants, white goods, etc.
6. Once the CCC has taken a decision on the complaint, (which will be recorded in the minutes of the CCC meeting), the party complained against will be informed of the CCC decision, within 5 working days. If the complaint is not upheld, the complainant and the advertiser will be informed simultaneously.
7. If the complaint is upheld, then the advertiser alone will be informed of the CCC decision within 5 working days. The advertiser will be given 2 weeks to assure time bound compliance with the CCC decision. On receipt of this assurance the complainant will also be informed of the CCC decision.
8. If a positive response is not received or compliance is not assured by the advertiser, within 2 weeks as above, a letter from the Vice-Chairman, ASCI, will be dispatched to the advertiser requesting their commitment within 2 weeks, to the withdrawal of the offending Ad or its appropriate modification so as to avoid contravening the ASCI Code. Simultaneously the concerned agency and the concerned media vehicle will be advised that the Ad contravenes the Code. The Secretariat will then advise the complainant of the CCC decision.
   
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Complaint processing procedure against an Advertisement
Complaint Form
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Code of Conduct
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