HC pulls up state for failing to pull down illegal political hoardings

The HC directed the Urban Development Department secretary to nominate officers not below the rank of deputy secretaries to act as nodal officers within two weeks. The nodal officers will keep track of the illegal hoarding being installed.

The court also asked all municipal bodies to maintain a register of all anonymous complaints received on a toll-free number and through SMSes.  The court was informed by advocate Uday Warunjikar, one of the petitioners’ lawyers, about a March 2013 order passed by the high court in connection with similar grievances, however, no concrete measures were undertaken by the respective municipal corporations.

Meanwhile, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) gave an undertaking to the HC that they would instruct all party workers to seek permission before putting up banners. Other parties – Congress, BJP, NCP and RPI (A) – gave their undertaking earlier. The HC said cases would be filed against those held guilty under the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act within a month for installing illegal hoardings.

The court will fix on the next hearing on November 24 the recovery of costs for the removal of illegal hoardings. Earlier, the HC had asked the BMC to appoint senior inspectors (licence department) as nodal officers to check illegal hoardings.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com