The Madras High Court today warned of criminal action soon against political parties and outfits violating its order banning unlicensed digital hoardings and banners across Tamil Nadu, saying police have been asked to register FIRs in such cases by a monitoring committee.
The first bench, headed by Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, had on February 26 directed the government to form the committee to keep a tab on hoardings-related violations.
The government formed the committee, headed by Justice S Rajeswaran, besides members A S Jeevarathinam and P Ekambaram, both retired IAS officers.
The committee had on March 13 asked all heads of government departments, Collectors, Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police to comply with the HC orders on regulating/banning unauthorized hoardings and digital banners, and said steps should be taken to remove them and prevent erection of unauthorized flexboards, placards, hoardings and digital banners.
It said police should take criminal action against those violating the orders, after registering FIRs. It also directed the government to issue warning and caution, which should be publicized through government advertisements and releases and to inform public about the penal consequences of any violation.
The Corporation Commsisioner Vikram Kumar in his counter affidavit tendered an unconditional apology to the court and denied having ever disobeyed court orders willfully.
"There is no intention, much less willful intention, at all in any way to disobey orders passed by this court," he said.
The matter relates to contempt of court proceedings initiated by social activist 'Traffic' Ramaswamy who alleged that police and other authorities had not taken action on the matter despite a string of court orders and complaints by him on specific hoardings-related violations.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice S K Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh, today directed all officers concerned to be present in the court on April 7 to render assistance to Advocate General of Tamil Nadu A L Somayaji in the matter.
