Kerala: People Installing Flex Banners, Hoardings In Public Places To Face Criminal Prosecution

Kerala government has told the High Court that people installing flex boards, banners, flags or hoardings in public places in Kerala will be booked with criminal cases. All police stations have been issued a circular in this regard by the Director-General of Police, counsel for the state government informed the state government on Tuesday, February 18.

Those nabbed for placing illegal hoardings will be booked on charges of public nuisance.

The Commissioner of Road Safety Authority has also issued a circular to remove all the illegal flex boards already put up in public places.

A ban was already imposed by the Kerala High Court on putting up illegal hoardings in public places. However, in the first week of February, the High Court specifically asked the state police chief to intervene in the matter.

Now, Justice Devan Ramachandran has asked the government to ensure that violators have to pay a hefty fine, apart from being booked with criminal cases. He has urged the government to invoke provisions of the Land Conservancy Act against those who violate the law so that a minimum of ₹10,000 fine can be levied on them.

The News Minute reported that the court said that at present, the penalty for violating the flex ban is just ₹150 to ₹200.

Taking a jibe at the government, the court said that if such a huge amount of money has to be paid violating the illegal flex ban, then it could solve the government's financial crisis.

The court pointed out that at a recent rally organised in Kochi on February 17, Monday, several illegal flex boards and hoardings were used, but no action was taken by police present at the scene.

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