HC asks govt to speed up approvals to ad bylaws

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday asked the state government to expedite the process of approving advertisement bylaws submitted by the BBMP.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was hearing a public interest litigation pertaining to the removal of unauthorised hoardings and flexes in the
city.

The BBMP had submitted that it has already sent the BBMP Outdoor Signage and Public Messaging 2018 Bylaws to the state government for approval.

When the court sought to how much time the state will take to approve it, the government counsel stated that the state will require four weeks.

In response to this, the court sought to know why the government needed so much time and asked it to expedite the approval process.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that there still are instances of small advertisement handbills being pasted on electric poles which authorities are not checking.

The court also pulled up the BBMP and the state government for not keeping a check on pasting handbills on electric poles and taking action against violators.

The court orally observed that the police should keep a check on this and not wait for others to inform them to take action.

The court sought to know from the BBMP if the city was completely free of unauthorised hoardings.

The court also observed that it proposes to pass orders on the impleading applications of advertising agencies on the next date of hearing.

The court also asked the BBMP to test the samples of material used as part of public-private partnership advertisements and asked the BBMP to inform the court.

The court also asked advertising agencies to give a specific representation which they wish to present as a grievance and share it with the court.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case to January 7.