BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to submit the details of FIRs registered for violation of Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act.A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Hemant Chandangoudar issued this direction during the hearing of public interest litigations filed with regard to illegal flex, hoardings and banners.
The bench said that the government has placed on record the two different circular issued by the police department and Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in relation to regulation of illegal advertisements.In the circular, the rural development and panchayat raj department has directed all Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Zilla Panchayats to ensure that all gram panchayats adopt the model advertisement bylaws.
On this, the bench said: “The circular is not in conformity with the directions issued by the court on last occasion. The power is vested with the government to direct all gram panchayat, taluk panchayats and Zilla Panchayat to to adopt model bylaws. Accordingly, the directions should have been issued by the government and not the department. We direct the state to file necessary compliance report,” the bench said.
Directing the BBMP counsel to get instructions on the illegal hoardings/flexes surfacing in city again, the bench adjourned the hearing to April 20. This was after advocate G R Mohan, counsel of a petitioner, drew the attention of the court on illegal flexes in city.