HC issues notice to TNPCB on PIL

The Madras High Court today issued
notice to Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to file within a week an affidavit on a PIL seeking a direction to authorities to consider a plea on preventing political parties from using plastic flags and banners during election campaign and disqualify candidates from contesting polls if they use them.
The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan
Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh, before which a PIL filed by Congress advocate AP Suryaprakasam, came up, directed counsel for TNPCB to file the affidavit within a week's time in the matter.
Additional Solicitor General G Rajagopalan informed the

court that an advisory for non-use of plastic during the election campaign will be issued by the Election Commission this time also as issued on March 16, 2006.

The petitioner prayed for a direction to the authorities
concerned to consider his representation dated October 1 last to prevent the political parties from using plastic flags and banners and to disqualify the candidates from contesting in the elections, if they use the same.
Earlier when the matter came up, the bench pointed out that the petitioner himself belonged to a political party. Yet, he had filed the present PIL to ban use of plastic flags and banners.

The same will equally apply to the party to which he is
affiliated, the bench had said and ordered notice to the Election Commission.
When the matter came up today, Additional Solicitor General, representing the Union government and Election Commission of India, submitted that the Commission has issued advisory from time to time asking parties to avoid use of plastic and polythene while preparing banners etc during poll campaign, the last one being on March 16, 2006.
He said during the coming elections the advisory will be once again issued to all parties concerned.
The bench after recording the submission ordered notice

to TNPCB and posted the matter for further hearing to March 14.