An official press release said here that conducting individual prize schemes was illegal and hence the ban. Several magazines had offered prizes like apartments, large quantities of gold and cars as prizes for those purchasing these special editions.

Police had been directed to take action against those who violated the ban, the release added. Meanwhile, a Division Bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justice C Shivappa and Justice K Natarajan, posted to tomorrow hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), seeking a direction to Police Commissioner to take appropriate steps against newspapers and weeklies indulging in the practice of prize schemes.

The petition was filed by K M Vijayan, a senior advocate, who alleged that some of the local dailies and weeklies hadbeen conducting the schemes for improving their circulation of the Deepavali special number.

The Bench directed the Consumer Care Council, represented by its founder trustee, Vijayan, to implead the promotees of the schemes and the state home secretary.