HC seeks MCDs' reply on plea of outdoor advertisers

The Delhi High Court today sought the response of the three municipal corporations of Delhi on a plea by an outdoor advertisers' association claiming the civic bodies were "arbitrarily" refusing to grant permission for putting up advertisements on private commercial buildings.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notice to the three corporations and sought their reply before January 27 next year on the plea by the Delhi Outdoor Advertisers' Association.
The association, in its plea, alleged that applications for permission were also kept pending beyond the statutory period of 30 days as under clause 13 (5) of the Advertising Bye-laws there was no deemed permission after expiry of the period.

It has contended that this provision in the bye-laws was being "misused" by the corporations to keep the applications pending.
The petition has sought a direction to the corporations to decide all pending applications seeking permission to display advertisements on private commercial buildings within 30 days of applying for it.
It has also said that clause 13(5) of the bye-laws be declared as illegal alleging that it is "giving arbitrary powers to officials of MCD".
The association has alleged that the reason for refusing grant of permission was that the corporations were not being able to extract licence fees on such advertisements as the Delhi High Court has held charging of licence fees as illegal.

It said the high court's decision has been challenged in the Supreme Court, but the order has not yet been stayed.