BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday issued notices to the state government, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and police commissioner on a public interest litigation against advertisement signage boards using highly bright LED lights emitting an intense glow, particularly at night, posing a risk to the public and motorists in Bengaluru.
A division bench of Chief Justice PS Dinesh Kumar and Justice TG Shivashankare Gowda issued the notices after hearing a petition filed by city-based advocate Deeksha N Amrutesh.
The petitioner prayed the court to issue directions to the BBMP commissioner and city police commissioner not to allow and not give permission to switch on huge LED display boards by all jewellery and other commercial establishments and shops on Sampige Road at Malleswaram in particular, and to turn off the LED boards on all other major traffic roads of Bengaluru, by enforcing appropriate regulations and standards for outdoor advertising on LED display screens.
Contending that representations submitted to all the authorities, including the chief secretary, were not heeded, the petitioner stated that intense brightness of LED lights can cause temporary or permanent vision impairment, distract drivers on the road, leading to reduced attention and increased risk of accidents, distract sleep patterns, affects ecosystem and large-scale usage in billboards can still contribute to significant energy consumption, etc.