Submit affidavit on flexes, banners: HC

The Karnataka High Court directed the chief secretary to submit an affidavit on the action taken to remove flexes and banners in the city along with details of such flexes and banners removed so far on the next date of hearing.

A division bench headed by the Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was hearing a batch of public interest litigations seeking directions to the authorities to remove unauthorised flexes/banners and buntings in the city

The court stated that further proceedings in the incident of assault on BBMP officials and workers while removing flexes in Ramamurthy Nagar ought to be taken up at the earliest by the magistrate and for that matter, on a day-to-day basis, while assigning topmost priority to this matter.

The court directed the magistrate to take up the matter from August 13 on a daily basis and conclude it at the earliest, preferably by the end of August.

The AG also submitted that 223 criminal cases for the offence under Section 3 of the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981, have been registered at different police stations in Bengaluru from August 1 to 8.

The court directed the police to carry out the investigation in these cases at the earliest, preferably before August 14.

The court orally observed that the government was trying to make an 'eyewash' and the court will not accept it.

The court, while pulling up the BBMP for failing to remove all the flexes, orally observed, "If you can't do it, then the court will step in and do the needful".

The BBMP counsel submitted that the drive against hoardings is continuing and around 22,000 hoardings/flexes/banners have been removed. He also stated that about 95% of the task of removal of the flexes and banners in public properties has been completed and within the next couple of days, the remaining ones shall be removed. He also said an app is being developed for proper monitoring, collection of information and registering the cases.

The BBMP counsel submitted an affidavit stating that all advertisements have been banned for one year beginning August 6.

The BBMP commissioner shall file an affidavit detailing the steps taken in this regard.

The court also orally observed that "officials should work honestly and if they don't, we shall make them work".

The court adjourned the hearing to August 14.