Corporators must report hoardings: Bombay HC

Mumbai: The Bombay high court said that it is the moral duty of corporators to inform the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) if illegal hoardings are being erected in their area. If corporators are scared to register complaints, how will citizens come forward to register them, the court asked.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice M.S. Sanklecha expressed its view while hearing a contempt petition against Murji Patel, a municipal corporator from Andheri who had allegedly beaten up BMC employees who were pulling down illegal hoardings in Andheri.

On Wednesday, Mr Patel assured the court that in future he would not erect any illegal hoardings in his area. The court then asked him to ensure that no one erects illegal hoardings in his area and if someone does so, he himself should register a complaint with the BMC. Mr Patel, however, refused to do so. The court then said that if a corporator were too scared to take an initiative, how citizens take such a step. As a public representative, it is the moral responsibility of corporators and they should take steps for it, the bench observed.

The court asked Mr Patel to file an affidavit within a week stating he is taking responsibility for beating up corporation employees.