No more palabhishekams for ‘Mersal’ Vijay and ‘Kabali’ Rajinikanth cut-outs? Madras HC bans photos of living persons in banners

In a state where roads are dotted with larger-than-life sized cut-outs of film stars and politicians, and births, deaths, coming of age, engagements and marriages are announced at street corners with photographs splashed across multi-coloured banners, the Madras High Court has come up with a sweeping order: No living persons’ photographs should be used henceforth in banners and cut-outs.

The verdict was pronounced on a petition by a Chennai resident, B Thirulochana Kumari who had sought the removal of signboards erected in front of her property.

Justice S Vaidyanathan, passing the order, asked the authorities to ensure that no private property is encroached upon when banners are erected, and no drawings are made on the walls of private establishments or posters stuck on them.

Going a large step further, the judge directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that photographs of living persons are not used in banners or any such installations in public places in the state.

The court order, however, does not describe why it bans the photographs of living people.

Justice Vaidyanathan told the Chief Secretary to ensure that a “clean atmosphere” is maintained in the state, and the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959 be complied with.

In her petition, Thirulochana Kumari said that a person named Mathi from her residential area, Arumbakkam, had erected a political party’s flag and signboard in front of the entrance to her property, blocking the way.

When she objected to it, Mathi threatened her. She then approached the Chennai Corporation Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner and made a complaint about the encroachment. When she approached the Arumbakkam police station, the inspector refused to file her complaint. Thirulochana Kumari then wrote to the Assistant Commissioner of the Corporation of Chennai seeking to know the status of action regarding her complaint about the encroachment. The Corporation of Chennai said instructions had been passed on to remove the flag and signboard.

After initially removing the encroachments, Mathi put up a banner again and threatened Thirulochana Kumari with dire consequences if she complained. Thirulochana Kumari then petitioned the court seeking to get the encroachments removed.

The Corporation officials told the court that encroachments would be removed and no such installations would be allowed on private properties without gaining the permission of the owners of the property.

Justice Vaidyanathan then directed not only the Corporation officials to remove any such encroachments in future too, he also instructed the police to ensure that police register complaints against persons who refuse to comply.