Digital banners: Madras HC comes down on Corp for inaction

CHENNAI: The  Madras High Court on Wednesday urged leaders of political parties to take a firm stand against erection of digital banners, and advice  their cadres not to do so without obtaining prior permission.
It also pulled up government authorities,  particularly the Chennai Corporation, for failing to implement preventive  measures to check erection of such unauthorised banners in public  places.

A division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and  Justice B Pugalendhi also said that the chief secretary of the state  would be held liable if any violation of orders is noticed.

‘People losing faith in police’

The bench also observed that attacks against police personnel are a bad sign of the state of law and order situation. It said the people were losing faith in police, which might lead to catastrophic consequences.
Taking notice of a recent violation by an AIADMK cadre, who installed 70 such banners between Koyambedu and Poonamallee, the bench wondered as to what is  the use in removing the banners after it was erected.

However, the government pleader submitted that 80 per cent of such illegality has been checked. Not  convinced,  the court granted one last opportunity  to the state to come out with a preventive solution for the menace. The contempt plea moved by activist Traffic K R Ramasway was then posted to September 13 for further hearing.