Performance of government panel on hoardings to be watched

The court said this status should continue till the issue is considered in greater depth and the position prevalent in view of the impending elections continue till a decision is made. 

First bench comprising Chief Justice and MM Sundresh issuing orders on a contempt application arising out of a PIL moved by ‘Elephant’ K Rajendran, said “The menace of defacement, hoarding, etc., has permeated in the State for quite some time. The very fact of pendency of this petition for 10 years is a reflection of this position. There is an aspect of both defacement of natural resources and government walls, bridges and buildings. The political parties are also to blame as per what has been set out in the petition. The earlier orders show that what was contemplated was a committee presided over by a retd judge of this court, but the government, in its wisdom, has considered it appropriate to appoint a committee of secretaries and other officers. We leave this issue to the wisdom of the government, but would like to see the performance of the committee at the ground level.”

The bench also held that at various times, directions have been issued by this court seeking to control the installation of hoardings and banners, not very successfully. 

This has given rise to number of contempt proceedings from time to time. “We feel this is the appropriate time to properly regulate this issue and courts are facilitated by the fact that in view of impending elections, in pursuance to the directions of the EC, all such hoardings have been removed. We would like this position to continue even beyond the elections till we determine how the govt. proposes to regulate this area of concern, ” the bench said. 

The bench also directed the additional advocate general (AAG) to prepare a note as to how to control this aspect so that the public is not inconvenienced after observing that it is almost a daily spectacle of large hoardings being displayed on pavements, since on the median, they have been prohibited and this causes inconvenience to the pedestrians and even loss of life. When roads are made, pathways are provided for the pedestrians, there must be concern for the people who are not riding vehicles..., the bench said and posted the matter for compliance to June 13.