new delhi a panel of ministers has approved imposing a fine of up to rs 10 lakh and a one year ban on celebrities who endorse products making unrealistic claims for the first offence but has dropped the controversial proposal for a jail termthe jail term for celebrities to endorse a product making misleading claims had been recommended by a parliamentary standing committee the ministerial panel has recommended a penalty of up to rs 10 lakh fine for the manufacturer and two years jail for first offence said sourcesbut even publishers and broadcasters would have to pay up to rs 10 lakh for every such offence a recommendation that may prove to be contentious and could if accepted be challenged by the publishing industryfor celebrities the penalty recommended is also up to rs 50 lakh besides a ban on endorsements for the second and subsequent offences for companies which put out misleading advertisements the panel has suggested a fine of up to rs 50 lakh and a jail term of five yearsthere are however certain conditions that offer publishers or broadcasters relief if they carry advertisement in ordinary course of their business but they would face action for publishing or broadcasting an advertisement if the central authority has notified it as misleading and has ordered its withdrawal the due diligence clause for celebrities to avoid penalty would be defined laterthese recommendations are likely to be included in the consumer protection bill which has already been introduced in the lok sabha last year several cases of misleading endorsements by celebrities for food health products and housing projects had triggered calls for stiff penalties on celebrity endorsers and manufacturerssources said the informal group of ministers headed by finance minister arun jaitley on wednesday also put its stamp on penalties to check adulteration of products for human use including food and health items fertilizer and medicines the fine and jail term for manufacturers involved in adulteration would be proportionate to the harm causedwhile for substandard items it would be up to six months jail and rs 1 lakh fine in case of any product causing death it will be a minimum seven years jail and up to life imprisonment and minimum rs 10 lakh fineconsumer affairs minister ram vilas paswan said he was confident that the bill would be approved in winter session of parliament starting next weekearlier the parliamentary standing committee had proposed rs 20 lakh fine on celebrity endorsers and two years jail for first offence the ministerial panel was against any jail term