The Bombay high court on Thursday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) whether organisers are seeking permission for putting up banners during Navratri celebrations. The court also asked the state as to what action it took since March this year against the illegal hoardings in the city. The HC was hearing a plea that alleged callousness on the part of the municipal corporation in bringing down political banners in the city. A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M.S. Sanklecha was hearing a plea filed by a social activist and chairman of “Forum for Fast Justice” Bhagwanji Rayani, who sought a direction to all municipal corporations and district councils to strictly implement its March order to remove all illegal hoardings in the metropolis. Mr Rayani, on Thursday, informed the court that hoardings, which were put up during the Ganpati festival were removed, however, no one has been prosecuted for putting up illegal hoardings. Rayani argued that in the wake of upcoming Navratri festival, the court should issue direction to the BMC to prevent the people from putting illegal hoardings. “During the Ganpati celebrations political banners again came up and BMC was failed to prevent them,” said Mr Rayani. BMC lawyer S.M. Modale said he would submit an action taken report on Friday. A division bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar had on March 13 this year directed, that all illegal hoardings be removed after observing that it was defacing the city. The direction was passed when the court was hearing a suo moto (on its own) public interest litigation on the issue after perusing a compliance report submitted by the chief of Satara municipal corporation indicating that they have removed all unauthorised hoardings in Satara within a week. The petitioner informed the high court that there should be an interim relief considering Navratri celebrations on October 5. The court has posted the next hearing on Friday.
