NEW DELHI: In an order which would have far-reaching implications in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that public places, including hilly areas, are not defaced by slogans and advertisements by political parties.
The bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi expressed dissatisfaction over the reply filed by the state government and said it has not acted in a responsible manner and directed authorities to ensure that political parties do not disfigure such public places by pasting photographs of leaders and by writing slogans. Senior advocate V Giri, appearing for the state government told the bench that a committee has been constituted by the Madras High Court and before it the PIL petitioner, a charitable trust ‘In Defence of Environment and Animals’, can put forth its grievances.
The apex court had on January 11 issued notice to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government on the plea seeking to restrain political parties from erecting digital banners on roadside across the state. The plea sought preventing encroachments via religious symbols and political graffiti, advertisements by private parties on natural resources like mountains, hills, hillocks, avenue trees and on national and state highways.