Archives: Vol. XXIX No. 22, March 1-15, 2020

Digital Banners and Hoardings Soon to Return

by The Editor

The political establishment has been feeling lost ever since the High Court of Madras pronounced an outright ban on parties erecting digital banners and hoardings along the streets and roads of Chennai. And as is always the case, a minor adjustment when it comes to interpretation of the judgement will soon help it in getting these public nuisances to be back. If the news agencies are to be believed, the Corporation of Chennai is of the view that the ban pertains only to political parties and not organisers of “marriages, birthdays and other social celebrations.” We are not sure if religious events also are within the ambit of this interpretation and if so, the Corporation has pretty much opened up the city for the putting up of digital banners, flex boards and hoardings.

It was in December 2018 that the High Court of Madras, irked at what it perceived as blatant violation of its earlier judgements, pronounced an outright ban on political parties putting up banners, boards and hoardings all along the principal thoroughfares of the city on a daily basis. Pedestrians found it next to impossible to negotiate the banners and the poles that held them up, the footpaths were repeatedly dug up to accommodate these temporary structures and motorists were put to risk as the banners blocked line of sight and often came crashing down as well. Political parties were the worst offenders, and they invariably put up banners without seeking police permission, something that the law enforces chose to turn a blind eye on. This is why most public interest litigations filed in this matter focused on the role of political parties. The judgement too concerned these.