SC judge expresses displeasure over 'illegal banner culture' in Maharashtra

Supreme Court Judge Justice Abhay Oka on Saturday expressed displeasure over the culture of illegal banners, and said the Bombay High Court had earlier mandated that prior authorisation was necessary to display them.

Speaking at the inauguration of a magistrate court in Mira Bhayandar township in Maharashtra's Thane district, he also expressed annoyance over the "lack of discipline" at the event, and pulled up media representatives and some other attendees for jostling and pushing.

On the occasion, Justice Oka urged the Maharashtra government to appoint more judges and provide infrastructure and modern technology in courts. He said on his way to the venue, he spotted several banners put up to welcome guests at the event.

Although he was initially delighted to see them, he later realised that these banners were illegal, the SC judge said.

"A Bombay High Court judgment mandates that no banners or hoardings should be displayed without prior authorisation. But none of these hoardings had the required permission number, which made them illegal," he said, adding that the local civic body must take immediate action to pull down such banners.

He said that during the unveiling of the plaque at the event, he saw an unruly crowd pushing several women.

Expressing regret, he pulled up the media representatives and some other attendees over their lack of discipline during the programme.

Justice Oka sought to know if media representatives should be invited to the events related to judiciary in future if such indiscipline continues.

"This is not a political event or that involving actors. This is a function of the judiciary where discipline is a must. Media professionals must maintain decorum during such events," he asserted.

The apex court judge also noted that the judiciary was committed to protecting the freedom of expression, especially that of the media. On the judicial infrastructure in Maharashtra, he shared experiences from his tenure as the chairman of the Infrastructure Committee of the Bombay High Court, highlighting how proposals often faced delays and bureaucratic hurdles. He cited an example where the Maharashtra government approved the construction of a court building but rejected a proposal for a judicial administrative building despite its necessity.

"Despite a 2018 Bombay High Court order mandating 25 acres of land for the construction of a new Mumbai High Court building, only four to five acres have been provided as of March 2025, showcasing the slow pace of implementation in Maharashtra," he said.

Welcoming Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's announcement that 2,000 posts of additional judges have been created, he noted that Maharashtra still has a severe shortage of judges.

He referred to a 2016 Supreme Court ruling, which recommended that India should have 50 judges per 10 lakh people to ensure timely justice, and said the figure stood at only 21 to 22 judges per 10 lakh people, significantly lower than the required ratio. To prevent delay in justice delivery, the state government should focus on appointing more judges, providing infrastructure, and implementing modern technology in courts, he said.

Deputy CM Shinde, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Justice Alok Aradhe, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik and others were present.