Cannot permit illegal hoardings of political, commercial or religious organisations in public space: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday observed that no political, religious or commercial organisation could be legally permitted to use public spaces like roads and footpath for putting up their hoardings [Suswarajya Foundation, Satara & Anr v. Collector Satara & Anr and connected petitions].A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor said that putting up illegal hoardings and banners poses danger to pedestrians and other road users.“No individual or group, be it a political party or commercial organisation or religious denomination can legally be permitted to utilise public spaces such as footpaths, streetlights and roads for a personal gains and advertisement, especially hazards with such hoardings and banners cause to the pedestrians and other users of the road,” the Court said..It urged general public to not indulge in illegal installations of hoardings.“It is beyond comprehension as to how any group of people can take liberty of putting up banner on streetlights. This calls upon us an appeal to general population and every individual and to come alive to the situation and not to indulge in any such activity that encourages such illegality, having potential of causing harm, even physical harm to pedestrians and other users of roads,” the bench said..It was hearing a bunch of petitions including a contempt petition which sought compliance with an order of 2017 which ordered take down of illegal hoardings and banners..Senior advocate Anil Sakhare appearing for the BMC submitted an affidavit today pointing out that it had registered about 22 first information reports (FIRs) in the past year and had taken down over 10,000 political banners.“During the last year between January 1 to December 31 information of 10, 839 political banners, 4551 commercial and 32, 481 religious banners were sent to Police stations through 410 letters and 22 FIRs have been registered,” Sakhare said..However, the petitioners stated that despite BMC efforts, the number of illegal banners and hoardings on footpaths, public roads and those covering traffic lights did not come down.The bench examined the photographs submitted by the petitioners and remarked that the haphazard illegal hoardings have the potential to obstruct pedestrians and those using roads..The court also asked BMC to publicise streets which have been permitted for putting up banners.