CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has granted permission to the State and central governments to erect banners in certain selected places along the East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram Road and the roads leading to Airport in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting at Mamallapuram for five days from October 9.
A division bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and N Seshasayee on Thursday granted the permission, subject to certain conditions, after recording the undertaking given by Advocate-General Vijay Narayan that all safety norms and other procedures would be strictly followed in addition to the conditions, if any, to be stipulated by the High Court.
However, P Wilson, the senior counsel representing the DMK told the judges that granting the relief as prayed for, would set a bad precedent. He, however, clarified that the party was not against the meeting of the two national leaders. What it was against is the banner culture, he added.
According to a petition filed by the State government, the Union Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi and its Information and Public Relations department have proposed to erect banners to welcome Modi and Jinping at important locations on East Coast Road, Old Mahabalipuram Road and the roads leading to the Airport from October 9.
"The existing permanent structures will be utilised for the display of the banners and only in cases where there is no provision for the same, temporary structures will be erected adhering to all safety norms and the specifications in force. Strict standards ot safety would be maintained," the petition said.