Kochi: The Kerala high court directed to cancel the licenses of printing presses and advertising agencies that put up boards, banners, and flags without printing their addresses and phone numbers, on Thursday. Justice Devan Ramachandran ordered in an interim order that putting up boards, banners, and flags without addresses and phone numbers on them will be deemed illegal and stringent action should be taken under Indian Penal Code and Land Conservancy Act against the perpetrators.
An order was issued by the court after amicus curiae Hareesh Vasudevan reported that unauthorized boards, banners, and flags have been put up in public spaces as the court hasn’t issued any orders in the case for the last few months. The court also ordered the secretaries of local self-government institutions to immediately begin a drive to remove boards, banners, and flags put up without obtaining permission and directed for completing the drive within 30 days. The secretaries will be held personally responsible for any illegal boards, banners, and flags found in public spaces after 30 days, the order stated.
The HC bench had on November 25 said that government officials who failed to remove new flag posts in public spaces since November 1 will face a jail term up to five years and a fine up to Rs 2 lakh as per Section 7 of the Kerala Land Conservancy Act. Authorities named by the court in its interim order then included secretaries of various local self-government institutions and revenue officials, who are responsible for enforcing the Act.
Justice Devan Ramachandran had issued the order after noting that the court’s order of November 1 had directed the authorities concerned not to allow new flag posts and to take action against violators as per Kerala Land Conservancy Act and other laws if any new flag posts are put up. The state government had then informed the court that it had given publicity to the order to remove illegal flag posts and has ensured that no new ones have been put up.
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