Bombay HC seeks vigilance, action against illegal hoardings, banners post poll results, warns political parties of ‘serious repercussions’

The tribunal besides cautioned governmental parties who had filed undertakings earlier the HC of not erecting amerciable hoardings to strictly abide by the same, failing which determination would beryllium “serious repercussions”.

“Having respect to what is happening connected ground, judicial announcement tin beryllium taken of the information that successful astir cases, amerciable hoardings, banners are erected by these parties. They are reminded of these undertakings and immoderate violations whitethorn person superior repercussions,” it noted.

A part seat of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar had past period revived a 2017 PIL pertaining to amerciable hoardings. It had directed the civic authorities to behaviour a 7 to 10-day agelong peculiar thrust to region amerciable hoardings and banners, citing the impending assembly elections and enhanced governmental activities.

Taking discrepancies — including accusation not being disclosed, affidavits not being filed by immoderate civic bodies, and their heads being pointed retired by advocator Uday Warunjikar for the petitioner — into consideration, CJ Upadhyaya orally remarked, “Why bash you (authorities) instrumentality tribunal for granted? It is simply a deliberate act. You are undermining the tribunal adjacent for this cause. Is it a court’s occupation to region hoardings? You are burdening america for nothing. We person to supervise it. For what? Why should specified a substance travel to court?… We are precise serious, if immoderate serviceman is taking these matters non seriously, past we cognize what to do,” The HC asked the civic bodies to furnish the accusation of enactment taken to authorities authorities earlier it heard the substance adjacent connected December 18.

It besides questioned the authorities lawyer’s submission that a good of a specified Rs 3 lakh was recovered by 294 municipal councils done enactment against amerciable hoardings.

The tribunal besides raised concerns implicit integrative being utilized for amerciable hoardings and banners. “What is the interaction connected the environment? The benignant of havoc the usage of integrative banners is causing… animals roaming connected streets, cows are eating. The integrative has been recovered successful their intestines… See what is happening successful Mumbai and the aerial prime these days. You spell astir the oversea successful the evening and you volition find it,” CJ Upadhyaya orally remarked.

In the order, te seat noted, “Considering hazards of amerciable hoardings oregon banners, which much often impact usage of integrative oregon different specified bio non degradable substances, we whitethorn observe that immoderate breach of directions contained successful this bid shall beryllium the idiosyncratic work of commissioners/CEOs, territory medication collectors and constabulary establishment, CPs, Director of Municipal Administration, Principal caput of of authorities UDD.”

CJ Upadhyaya sought the assistance of Advocate General Birendra Saraf for the authorities and said, “We are precise atrocious to observe that what is mandated to authorities oregon legislature is not followed, And erstwhile tribunal steps in, you inactive bash not enactment and past successful each debate, judicial overreach is talked about. But who has created this situation? Your offices should travel existent to specified a situation.”