HC slams BBMP for not curbing flex banner menace

The high court on Monday chastised the BBMP for not acting against people putting up illegal flex banners in the city.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) submitted a compliance report in the court stating that it identified 9,570 unauthorised flex/banners in the city since January 2023.

The court took a serious view that only 57 FIRs had been filed and action had been taken against only the manufacturers of the flex banners as it dubbed the compliance report an “eyewash”.

“You are not taking action against people who are erecting these banners/flexes for their own glorification, and you are catching the manufacturers. It is something irrational, illogical, and unreasonable. It is clear that your officers are not serious in taking action. This (compliance report) is only an eyewash,” a division bench headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale orally observed.

The civic body mentioned in the compliance report that the menace of unauthorised hoardings is rampant during elections, festive seasons, and during political events. The BBMP also said its officers who have powers to act against the menace are trying their best.

The BBMP submitted the number of unauthorised flex banners/hoardings it identified in a tabular form, penalties imposed, and further criminal action taken.

The court observed that while the number of illegal flex/banners identified in different zones ranged from 488 to 2,521, the number of related complaints and FIRs filed in some other cases were only in single or double digits.

“The cumulative total of identified unauthorised flex banners, etc, is 9,570. Whereas the number of complaints filed is 80 , while FIRs registered is 53, respectively. It is also surprising to note that in a particular area, Bengaluru (West), the identified flex/banners are 2,521 whereas the complaints filed is 5 and FIRs registered is 6,” the bench said.

The court applauded the move to issue a public notice, with phone numbers of officers concerned, but questioned the reluctance of authorities to register complaints and FIRs.

The bench asserted that taxpayers’ money should not be spent on the removal of illegal flex/banners. The state government has been instructed to furnish details on illegal flex/banners received from all municipal councils and corporations.

“Accordingly, we deem it appropriate to seek further response from the state government as well as the BBMP on the issues referred to by us in this order. Such response shall be submitted to this court within four weeks,” the bench said, directing the matter to be posted after summer vacation.