The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that its order prohibiting publication of photographs of Governors, Chief Ministers and other ministers in government advertisements is "unreasonable and irrational", reported The Times of India.

Asking the apex court to review its verdict, the Centre said that "pictures are vital part of advertisements and there can be no justification for a gag order" and that "the restriction cannot be justified under any provision of the Constitution", states the report.

On May 13, the SC ruled that only the photographs of the Prime Minister, President and Chief Justice of India can be used in government advertisements.

The TOI report further states that the Centre told the SC "that it is for the government to decide whose photographs are to be published and what should be the content of the advertisements. It said that the court should refrain from interfering in such policy matters.The Centre also said that barring photos of CMs in advertisements is against the federal structure."

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and P C Ghose have agreed to hear the Centre's review petition on January 12.

"Photographs," the SC had observed in May, "have the potential of developing the personality cult and the image of one or a few individuals which is a direct antithesis of democratic functioning," The Indian Express reported.