The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to inform it about the steps taken to remove all unauthorised hoardings, posters from across the city.
It also asked the Election Commission to inform about the steps taken to ensure that political parties do not indulge in defacement of public properties.
A bench of justices A S Oka and AA Sayyed directed the authorities to file their respective replies by January 9 next year.
In February, the court had passed a detailed judgement directing the BMC to remove all hoardings, banners and advertisements put up illegally by political parties or their members, and to initiate action against them.
In a related order passed at the time, the court had also directed the Election Commission to impose conditions on political parties at the time of their registration mandating that the parties will not indulge in defacement of properties and also follow all provisions of the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act and the laws governing sky signs and advertisements.
While on Friday, the BMC submitted that it has taken several steps to rid public spaces in the city of unauthorised posters, hoardings etc., the EC sought some more time to comply with the high court’s order.
The court has been hearing a bunch of PILs alleging that political parties and their members put up illegal hoardings, banners and posters in complete violation of civic rules all over the state, defacing private and public properties and spaces.
