Chennai: The Madras high court has pulled up the authorities for not taking action against the erection of illegal digital banners happening for past many years.
A division bench comprising Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and M. Nirmal Kumar made the observations while hearing a contempt petition filed by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy, which sought to punish those including six political parties, which violated the orders of the courts in the matter of erecting illegal digital banners.
When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, Harmander Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary to government, Municipal Administration and water supply department filed an affidavit stating that the authorities have great respect of the order of the court and never violated or intended to violate the orders passed by the court. However, if this court comes to the conclusion that he has violated the orders of this court, he tenders his unconditional apology and pray to purge him out of the contempt proceedings.
The government was so far adhering to the said orders of the court without fail till date and undertakes to do so hereafter also, he added.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the affidavit, the bench said this court likes to point out at this juncture that in its order dated December 19, 2018 had grantred interim injunction. The court had also gave instances of violations that took place for past many years and in considered opinion of the court, the present affidavit was hardly satisfactory except the affidavit containing 5 pages, no worthwhile details as to the prosecution of the violations that already taken place and the preventive mechanism to prevent such kind of violation in future have not been stated. Additional advocate general seeks further time to file additional affidavit with supporting documents. Call the matter on March 15, the bench added.
The bench also ordered notice to the authorities on the petitions filed by Arum Mozhi Devan, district secretary of AIADMK, Cuddalore and K. Balaganga, district secretary (north madras), which sought to modify the order of the court dated December 19, 2018 and thereby permit the petitioners to erect placards and banners in accordance with the Rules on the eve of the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister late J. Jayalalithaa.
