Kerala High Court Orders Rs 5,000 Penalty For Unauthorised Billboards in Public Areas

Justice Devan Ramachandran directed to impose Rs 5,000 per illegal billboard along with the expenses to remove it and initiate prosecution against wrongdoers.

On October 31, the Court questioned why strict penalties for each such unauthorised board were not already imposed.

The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the government to immediately remove every illegal billboard erected in public spaces of the state. Giving the direction, the HC said that it was the right of every citizen to have a pleasing environment and that any action by perpetrators to defy this for selfish and vested reasons must attract sufficient penalties. In an order issued on October 31, Justice Devan Ramachandran directed to impose Rs 5,000 per illegal billboard along with the expenses to remove it and initiate prosecution of wrongdoers.

Noting that even though violators do not deserve any leniency, Justice Devan Ramachandran added that seven days' time may be granted so that such illegally installed boards can be removed in order to avoid a penalty of 5,000 (as prescribed by the Kerala Municipality Rules) per board.

The judge stressed that the continued presence of such illegally installed boards in the streets demonstrated a clear disregard for the law. He also emphasised that "visual pollution" caused by illegal boards and hoardings must be addressed, in addition to solid waste and other pollutants.

On October 31, the Court questioned why strict penalties for each such unauthorised board were not already imposed.

The judge pointed out that this was a missed opportunity for the state to potentially collect revenue worth crores of rupees, especially since Kerala was said to be experiencing financial difficulties.

"When our State is going through stated financial constraints -- which is evident from various other cases that come to the notice of this court -- one fails to understand how this source of revenue can be given up, particularly when thousands of boards have been removed on regular basis; and going by the statistics furnished in this case from its inception, the number of boards already removed would perhaps be running into several lakhs," the order read, as per PTI.