Remove illegal hoardings, Delhi HC orders civic bodies

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked civic bodies to remove within eight weeks illegal hoardings and banners put up across the national capital in violation of the outdoor advertising policy and the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.

A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva asked the city's municipal corporations to remove the illegal hoardings, banners, posters etc. and superstructure (where hoardings are placed) in accordance with law.

The court direction came after an application was filed in an ongoing public interest litigation (PIL) of Col. (retd) Shivraj Kumar, who said the act of putting banners, hoardings on residential buildings was in violation of the 2007 Outdoor Advertising Policy and the 2009 Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.

The plea alleged that despite the court's order all the illegal hoardings, small posters and superstructure were not removed.

Where the hoardings are removed, iron structure or bricks have not been removed, advocate Shadan Farasat said.

The high court in May directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation to implement the 2007 Outdoor Advertising Policy and ensure that all ads contrary to it were removed.

The bench asked the MCDs to file by December 2 a report with complete details of the action taken against outdoor advertisements and hoardings.