BENGALURU: Observing that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) should be like its name ‘Bruhat’ and its thoughts should be ‘Bada’, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the civic body for dilly-dallying in finalising the ‘Advertisement Policy’ despite its orders.
Taking serious exception to the vague affidavit submitted by the Commissioner of BBMP seeking time to finalise the advertisement policy, the division bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice R Devdas said, “We are not making jokes and wasting time here. If they are still holding council meetings means that they are not framing the policy and are avoiding it,” the court said.
The court which is hearing a batch of public interest litigations against unauthorised flexes in city, said that the contents in the affidavit are rather vague and of an uncertain nature, difficult to be appreciated.
“We have to restore the Bengaluru to its glory. But it seems to be unending story of uncertain things when look into Commissioner’s affidavit... Everything is within your knowledge about the proceedings of unauthorised hoardings conducted from last 15 days. But, now you are seeking time by filing a vague affidavit which is directly conflicting with the court orders... why can’t you do it today itself?”, the court asked BBMP.
Then BBMP’s Counsel V Sreenidhi said that the said affidavit will be withdrawn and that they would file a fresh one. In response to it, the court told the BBMP Counsel: “We are very sorry.. absolutely rejecting the contents of affidavit with regard to seeking time till September 5, 2018... it has to be done today itself. Otherwise law will take its own course. Your Commissioner is testing us or what?”
Guard against use of plastic flags: HC
The court asked the BBMP to take steps to guard against plastic flags during Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday. While querying about Garag, a village in Dharwad district known for hand-woven khadi for national flags in Karnataka, the court asked the BBMP what it has done to substitute
plastic flags.