Telangana High Court on Tuesday said that contempt of court proceedings would be initiated suo motu if statues were erected or installed on public roads without permission.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice A. Rajasheker Reddy instructed the Chief Secretary to be attentive and cautious on the issue of installing statues on or in the middle of public roads. The bench was hearing a PIL petition on the issue of inconvenience caused to general public due to unauthorised erection of statues on roads.
The bench reminded the authorities that the Supreme Court had earlier issued guidelines and categorically stated not to permit installation of idols on public roads, pavements and public places. Any violation of the apex court’s guidelines on this matter would be taken seriously, the bench said.
The bench recalled that in 2013 the then undivided erstwhile Andhra Pradesh government had issued an order prohibition installation of idols on public roads. Hereafter, suo motu contempt proceedings would be started against authorities and persons if any instances of installation of statues on public roads come to light, the bench said.
