The Kerala High Court on Thursday issued a set of further directions to ensure that no new unauthorised flag posts, banners or boards are installed in the State and to remove the already existing ones within a period of 30 days.Justice Devan Ramachandran found it imperative to notify such guidelines after observing that people had fallen back to their lackadaisical attitude regarding the...
The Kerala High Court on Thursday issued a set of further directions to ensure that no new unauthorised flag posts, banners or boards are installed in the State and to remove the already existing ones within a period of 30 days.
Justice Devan Ramachandran found it imperative to notify such guidelines after observing that people had fallen back to their lackadaisical attitude regarding the erection of illegal boards, banners and flag posts in the State within a few months after the Court issued strict orders against the same.
The Court also noted that various persons and entities seem to have gained an impression that they can still violate this order and that no action will fall upon them.
"Through the advent of various orders passed by this Court – which are more than 20 or 25 in number - the stakeholders, including the Secretaries of the Local Self Government Institutions have been sufficiently warned, including that they will be personally responsible for the cost of the unauthorized installations. Pertinently, every time this Court passed orders to remove them, they were complied with, but it would simply return because the resolve to ensure that it is finally rid of is lacking," the order stated.
Amicus curiae Advocate Hareesh Vasudevan informed the Court today that the main reason behind this menace not being fully eliminated was that advertising agencies who are unaware of the laws involved are entrusted with the task of installing them. This happens particularly because some of their workmen are not from Kerala.
The Court recorded these submissions and noted that since any installations can be made in public places only under the specific sanction of the Secretary of the respective Local Self Government Institution, certain additional directions had to be issued before disposing of this petition.
Considering such circumstances, the Judge issued the following directions in addition to the ones already issued:
The matter has been listed for further consideration on February 21.
The Court issued the order on a petition filed by a property owner who approached the Court through Advocate R.T Pradeep seeking police protection to remove flag posts that were allegedly put upon his property by political parties.
Other Developments in the Petition:
Case Title: Mannam Sugar Mills Cooperative Ltd v. Deputy Superintendant of Police
Click Here To Read/Download The Order
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