High Court Takes BBMP To Task Over Illegal Billboards, Orders Detailed Report

The High Court has taken the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to task for failing to curb the proliferation of illegal billboards within its jurisdiction. The court conducted a survey of advertisements in the city to determine the number of permitted and unauthorized billboards, the actions taken against them, and the associated fees. BBMP has been directed to submit a report on fee collection. The Public Interest Petition, filed by Maige Gowda and others, seeks a court order to stop the installation of unauthorized billboards in the city, and it was heard by a division bench of Chief Justice P.B. Varale and Justice Krishna S. The High Court took exception to the claim by one of the petitioners’ lawyers that BBMP had not provided any information regarding fee collection in the court’s memo or affidavit. The court expressed strong concern about the loss of revenue running into thousands of crores due to illegal advertisements and how this burden is passed on to the citizens in the form of taxes. During the hearing, the BBMP lawyer presented a memo stating that notices have already been issued against officials who neglected to act against unauthorized flex and banner hoarding. The court directed BBMP to take necessary action against the responsible officials and to provide an update on developments during the next hearing. The court’s scrutiny comes as the city grapples with the negative impacts of illegal advertisements on its aesthetics and the failure to collect due taxes. The High Court has instructed BBMP to submit a detailed report within 28 days.