HC not satisfied with govt action on banners

The Madras high court has expressed dissatisfaction over the rules pertaining to installation of banners not being adhered to despite several directions being offered by the court in this regard.

Livid with illegal banners mushrooming all over the place in contravention of the rules, a division bench comprising Justice M M Sundresh and Justice M Nirmal Kumar before whom the contempt plea moved by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy came up on Wednesday wondered as to whether anything is being done at all in checking installation of such illegal banners and acting against the offenders.

The bench pointed out that even a cursory glance would reveal the extent of illegal banners installed on behalf of leaders, actors and religious heads at will with the authorities turning a blind eye to such an illegal activity.

Also, slamming the Government submission that action against such illegal banners has not been possible since the plea moved by the printers of such banners is pending at the high court, the bench observed that the power to ban such printing of illegal banners is vested with the Government and that the court cannot do it.

As per an earlier order, the court had directed action against printers who fail to print their name as well as that of the applicant who had ordered the creation of such illegal banner at the first place. It had held that it would not hesitate to summon the printer of such banners, sponsors as well as the people whose picture appear on such banners in case of violation.

However, the bench on receipt of a report submitted by Advocate General Vijay Narayan on behalf of the Chief Secretary in this regard adjourned the case to July 01 for further hearing.

Traffic Ramaswamy is his contempt plea had submitted that in contravention of court orders several hundred unauthorised hoardings are installed by political leaders, actors and their supporters.