HC issues show cause notice to district collector, municipal commissioners, police heads, over non-compliance with 2017 sky signs order
The Bombay High Court has issued show cause notices to various government authorities and political parties for non-compliance with its December 31, 2017, judgment regarding illegal sky signs, citing deliberate defiance and contempt of court.
A division bench comprising chief justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and justice Amit Borkar on December 19, a copy of which was uploaded on Monday, December 30, issued the notices while hearing a contempt plea over the failure to enforce the court’s directives on the removal of illegal hoardings, banners, flags, flexes, and posters across Maharashtra.
The notices have been served to political parties, municipal corporation heads, municipal council executives, district collectors, police department heads, and the Director General of Police (DGP). The court observed that these entities had failed to act despite earlier undertakings to comply with the judgment.
The 2017 judgment highlighted the rampant issue of illegal and unauthorised sky signs, including hoardings and banners, across Maharashtra, not limited to Mumbai. The court noted that such installations violate municipal laws and pose safety and aesthetic concerns.
“If we find any deficiency in the measures taken by municipal and district authorities or the police administration, we may be compelled to issue contempt notices to the executive heads of these bodies,” the judges stated in their latest order.
The court expressed disappointment with political parties that had earlier provided undertakings to adhere to the judgment but had failed to act. “It appears that the political parties have not honoured their commitments to the court. Notices are therefore issued to respondents requiring them to show cause as to why appropriate action under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, and Article 215 of the Constitution of India should not be taken against them,” the order said.
The court directed municipal corporations, municipal councils, and the state’s Urban Development Department to submit affidavits by the next hearing on January 25. These affidavits must outline the steps taken to ensure compliance with the 2017 judgment and subsequent court orders.
The additional chief secretary or principal secretary of the Urban Development Department has also been directed to detail the measures implemented by the state government to address the issue.
The matter will be heard again on January 25, 2025.
