Maharashtra Civic Bodies Face Court Scrutiny Over Illegal Hoardings

The Bombay High Court is pressing Maharashtra's civic bodies for data on FIRs and fines linked to illegal hoardings on public property. The court praised Latur Municipal Corporation's proactive measures while warning Thane Municipal Corporation over delayed actions. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for November 26.

The Bombay High Court has demanded detailed information from all civic bodies in Maharashtra regarding the number of FIRs filed against illegal hoardings, banners, and posters and the fines collected from them.

During a session, Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sandesh Patil emphasized the necessity of knowing the actions municipal bodies have taken to recover fines associated with these civic violations. For years, the court has been advocating for rigorous actions against political parties and others breaching these rules.

The court acknowledged the efforts of Latur Municipal Corporation for its exemplary system against unlawful advertising, suggesting that other municipalities should adopt similar practices. In contrast, it admonished the Thane Municipal Corporation for its delay in reporting actions taken and warned of possible summonses if compliance isn't met by next week.

(With inputs from agencies.)