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The high court in its order said that considering the issue of illegal hoardings, something more was needed to be done not only at the municipal level of the government but at the instance of the general public as well
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said that no political party, religious organisation, or commercial organisation can be legally permitted to put up hoardings on street lights, roads, or footpaths for their personal gains.
“No individual or group of individuals be it a political party or commercial or religious organisation can legally be permitted to utilise footpaths, street lights, roads for personal gains and advertisement, especially keeping in view the hazard caused to the pedestrian and other users of roads,” the court said.
The high court's division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor was hearing a plea concerning illegal hoardings being put up by different individuals and organisations.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed the court that it had taken down a total of 10,839 political hoardings, 4,551 commercial hoardings, and 32,481 illegal hoardings.
The BMC stated that information about 410 illegal hoardings was sent to the police, resulting in 22 FIRs being registered.
The corporation also mentioned that it has issued directions at the ward level to allow hoardings only for organizations with permission, tracked through QR codes.
The intervenor showed photographs to the court that there were still instances of illegal hoardings obstructing public spaces and traffic lights.
The high court in its order said that considering the issue of illegal hoardings, something more was needed to be done not only at the municipal level of the government but at the instance of the general public as well.
Therefore, the high court appealed to the general public not to indulge in putting up illegal hoardings.
“It is beyond comprehension as to how any group of people can take liberty to put up banners on street lights. This falls upon us to appeal to the general population and every individual and group to come alive to the situation and not to indulge in any such activity that encourages such illegality having the potential of causing harm, even physical harm to pedestrians and other users,” the order states.
The bench observed that political parties, though they provided an undertaking not to display illegal hoardings, were absent during the court proceedings.
Consequently, the high court directed the political parties to appear during the next hearing.
Additionally, the court also asked the other municipal corporations that had not submitted their affidavits to do so by the next date.
Case title: Suswarajya Foundation Satara & Anr vs Collector
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