HC allows activist to initiate contempt plea against AIADMK

The Madras High Court today allowed activist 'Traffic' K R Ramaswamy to initiate contempt plea against the AIADMK government in the state.
Justice S Vaidyanathan gave the permission to Ramaswamy, allowing his urgent mention citing violation of court orders.
The activist referred to several banners consisting of pictures of chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam being put up along the Marina during the first death anniversary of former chief minister Jayalalithaa.
A court order had banned use of pictures of living persons in banners and hoardings.
The ruling party is liable to be prosecuted under Contempt of Courts Act for wilful disobedience of court order, the activist said.

Justice Vaidyanathan had on October 24 passed a blanket order banning use of pictures of living persons in digital banners and hoardings in an attempt to check the menace of illegal erecting of such banners.

This was done to maintain a clean atmosphere in the state and to avoid unnecessary drawings on the walls of buildings/residential places, the judge had said.
The court directed the chief secretary to ensure that the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959 were complied with.
If at all any permission was given by the authority concerned for erecting banners, etc, they shall ensure that the photos/pictures of such persons who are alive shall not be depicted.

Photos/pictures of those sponsoring such banners, shall also not be depicted, the judge said.