Madras HC ruling on images on hoardings specific to electoral campaigns

The Madras High Court order for a blanket ban on use of images of living people on hoardings and flex banners is specifically directed at electoral campaigns. Political parties had plastered the city with unauthorised hoardings and banners featuring images of political leaders ahead of the local municipal polls.

“Honorable Madras High Court had issued guidelines in 2016 that no unauthorised promotional media can be installed in any form whether its banner or digital screen. As per those guidelines, the apex authority has issued a ban which is specifically meant for electoral campaigns which creates huge clutter in the city. Therefore, to halt this practice and remove clutter, the court has issued a ban on using an alive person’s image in the campaign,” explained the Revenue Office of Greater Chennai Corporation.

However, if this practice continues in the city, an FIR will be filed against the defaulters for installing unauthorised banners. Authorised sites will remain intact.