Madras High Court imposes blanket ban on hoardings, flex banners with images of living people

The Madras High Court has imposed a blanket ban on putting up publicity structures in the city bearing images of individuals who are alive. The High Court ruled that pictures and photographs of those who sponsor such banners too should not be installed anywhere in the state. The Court ruling was a strong step to root out the clutter of hoardings, flex banners and signboards that mark the cityscapes in the state.

“In order to maintain a clean atmosphere in the state and to avoid unnecessary drawings on the walls of buildings, residential places, this court directs the chief secretary to ensure that the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959, are complied with. If at all any permission is given by the authority concerned for erecting banners, flex boards and signboards, they shall ensure that the photographs, pictures of persons who are alive shall not be depicted on them. It is further directed to ensure that the photographs pictures of the persons, who are sponsoring such banners, shall also not be depicted,” Justice Vasidyanathan said in his order passed on a plea by a city resident.