In a democracy there cannot be pre-censorship, the Delhi High Court today told the AAP government regarding its policy on display of advertisements on auto rickshaws.

"In a democracy it (pre-censorship) should not be done.

What is the need for pre-censorship or prohibition of political advertisement? How can you do it? A citizen can be political," a bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Pratibha M Singh said.

It said if an advertisement appears to be communal or obscene, then the government needs to take action against the person as per the law in existence.