Writ Petition No.546 of 2006

10th June, 2010

Petitioner Counsel: Mr. F. R. TANDALE
Respondent Counsel: Mr. N. B. KHANDARE,Mr. S. N. PAGARE

Cases Cited:
In Re Destruction of Public and Private Properties Vs. State of A.P., 2009 ALL SCR 1352 : (2009)5 SCC 212 [Para 15]

JUDGMENT

A. M. KHANWILKAR, J.:- The Petitioner, claiming to be a resident of Aurangabad city, has filed this writ petition in public interest. He has sought directions against the Respondents, amongst other, that the Respondent No.2 - Commissioner of Aurangabad Municipal Corporation be directed that henceforth the Corporation shall enforce complete ban to put up any hoarding/board on the guard rails (Kathada) at Kranti Chowk. Further, the Corporation shall not permit display of hoarding/board of any political party for more than one day on public roads, medians/squares (Chowks). It is further prayed that mandatory order be passed prohibiting display of hoarding/board congratulating for the success or giving best wishes to anyone on the eve of his/her birthday in public places; and to direct the Commissioner Aurangabad to take appropriate strict penal action against every person and political party or association, indulging in defacement of public property. This Petition was moved in February, 2006. During the pendency of this Petition, the Respondents have filed affidavits and also action taken reports from time to time. The Petition has now been finally heard. As a result, we propose to dispose of this Petition by the present order.

2. Broadly, the controversy raised in this Petition is in relation to the display of illegal hoardings/banners/posters/temporary arches in the city of Aurangabad, without taking prior permission of the concerned authority; and moreso, in public places and on roads causing obstruction to traffic and defacement of the public property. It also causes public nuisance and are eyesore to the viewer. To espouse the cause of the Petitioner, Mr. F. R. Tandale was appointed as an amicus curiae. He alongwith the counsel appearing for the Corporation have submitted action plan to eschew the display of such illegal hoardings/banners/posters in public places in the city for felicitation mostly of political leaders on their birthday, success or about their arrival in the city. The counsel for the Corporation has taken a very fair stand that illegal hoardings/posters not only cause obstruction to the traffic, but also affect the beauty of the city and more importantly causes financial loss to the Corporation. Inasmuch as, there are around 329 identified approved spots to display advertisement within the limits of Municipal Corporation, Aurangabad. Steel frames have been fixed permanently on the said spots, which are meant to support hoardings. The structure so put up has been certified by the City Engineer. The hoardings are fixed on the said steel frames with care so that no accident should be caused. For display of such hoardings, the Corporation receives charges as prescribed by the General Body in its resolution dated 25th September, 2006. It is fairly accepted on behalf of the Corporation that the rates so prescribed, would require revision on account of passage of time. It is stated that a proposal will be submitted for consideration for revision of the said rates to the General Body in due course of time. Indeed, what rate should be prescribed for display of advertisement by way of hoardings/boards/posters etc. is the prerogative of the Corporation. Since the Corporation is inclined to revise the prevailing rates, we refrain from making any further observation in that regard.

3. It is not in dispute that no hoardings/boards/posters can be put up in public places and more particularly on roads without seeking prior permission of the Corporation. Section 244 of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act of 1949" for the sake of brevity) makes provision regarding sky signs and advertisements. Section 245 of the Act of 1949 provides for regulation and control of the advertisements. The said provisions read thus :

"244. (1) No person shall, without the written permission of the Commissioner, erect, fix or retain any sky-sign of the kind prescribed by rules whether existing on the appointed day or not. Where a sky-sign is a poster depicting any scence from a cinematographic film, stage play or other stage performance, such permission shall not be granted, unless prior scrutiny of such poster is made, by the Commissioner and he is satisfied that the erection or fixing of such poster is not likely to offend against decency or morality. A permission under this section may be granted or renewed for a period not exceeding two years from the date of each such permission or renewal, subject to the condition that such permission shall be deemed to be void if,-

(a) any addition is made to the sky-sign except for the purpose of making it secure under the direction of the City Engineer;

(b) any change is made in the sky-sign, or any part thereof;

(c) the sky-sign or any part thereof fall either through accident, decay or any other cause;

(d) any addition or alteration is made to, or in, the building or structure upon or over which the sky-sign is erected, fixed or retained, involving the disturbance of the sky-sign or any part thereof;

(e) the building or structure upon or over which the sky-sign is erected, fixed or retained becomes unoccupied or be demolished or destroyed.

(2) Where any sky-sign shall be erected, fixed or retained after the appointed day upon or over any land, building or structure, save and except as permitted as hereinbefore provided, the owner or person in occupation of such land, building or structure shall be deemed to be the person who has erected, fixed or retained such sky-sign contravention of the provisions of this section, unless he proves that such contravention was committed by a person not in his employment or under his control, or was committed without his connivance.

(3) If any sky-sign be erected, fixed or retained contrary to the provisions of this section, or after permission for the erection, fixing or retention thereof for any period shall have expired or become void, the Commissioner may, by written notice, require the owner or occupier of the land, building or structure, upon or over which the sky-sign is erected, fixed or retained, to take down and remove such sky-sign.

245. (1) The Commissioner may, by notice in writing, require the owner or the person in occupation of any land, building, wall, hoarding or structure to take down or remove, within such period as is specified in the notice, any advertisement upon such land, building, wall hoarding or structure.

(2) If the advertisement is not taken down or removed within such period, the Commissioner may cause it to be taken down or removed, and the expenses reasonably incurred on the taking down or removal thereof shall be paid by such owner or person.

(3) Except in case of posters depicting any scene from a cinematographic film, stage play or other stage performance, the provisions of this section shall not apply to any advertisement which,--

(a) is exhibited within the window of any building;

(b) relates to the trade or business carried on within the land or building upon which such advertisement is exhibited or to any sale or letting of such land or building or any effects therein, or to any sale, entertainment or meeting to be held upon or in the same;

(c) relates to the business of any railway administration;

(d) is exhibited within any railway station or upon any wall or other property of a railway administration, except any portion of the surface of such wall or property fronting any street."

4. On bare perusal of the said provisions, it is amply clear that no hoardings/posters/banners/boards can be displayed and moreso in public place without the prior permission of the Commissioner. The Competent Authority while according permission, in turn, is duty bound to keep in mind the norms specified regarding the size of such hoardings/posters/banners as the case may be. Besides the size, the Competent Authority is also obliged to keep in mind that the display thereof is done at the specified place and for the duration for which such permission is to be accorded. Any hoarding/poster/banner, which has been displayed without such permission, would be illegal and not only amenable for removal thereof, but the person responsible for display thereof is also liable for appropriate action including payment of fine.

5. Besides the permission from the Competent Authority of the Corporation required under the Act of 1949, it is necessary to obtain permission of the appropriate authority as per the Rules framed or Order passed in exercise of powers under Section 33(1)(db) of the Bombay Police Act, 1951 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act of 1951" for the sake of brevity). Clause (db) of Section 33(1) relates to licensing, controlling or prohibiting the erection, exhibition, fixation or retention of any sign, device or presentation for the purpose of advertisements, which is visible against the sky from some point in any street and is hoisted or held a loft over any land, building or structure at such heights as (regard being had to the traffic in the vicinity, and the likelihood of such sign, device or presentation at that height being a distraction or causing obstruction to such traffic) to be specified in the Rule or order to be passed in exercise of Section 33(1) of the Act of 1951. This provision presuppose that the place specified by the appropriate authority while granting permission in exercise of powers under the Act of 1949, should necessarily be in conformity with the location to be approved by the Appropriate Authority under the provisions of the Act of 1951; who in turn, besides other things, have to keep in mind that no distraction or obstruction is caused to the traffic in the vicinity. However, no Rule or Order issued in exercise of powers under Section 33(1)(db) of the Act of 1951, has been brought to our notice during the hearing. Nevertheless, it will be useful to advert to the provisions of the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act of 1995" for the sake of brevity). The said Act purports to provide for prevention of defacement of property and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The said enactment was introduced by way of Ordinance in January, 1995, which later on became the Act of 1995. The term "Advertisement" has been defined in Section 2(a) to mean any printed, cyclostyled, typed or written notice, document, paper or any other thing containing any letter, word, picture, sign or visible representation. The definition of advertisement is very wide. The term Defacement is also defined in the Act. Section 2(b) stipulates that the defacement includes impairing or interfering with the appearance or beauty, damaging, disfiguring, spoiling or injuring in anyway whatsoever and the word "deface" shall be construed accordingly. Display of any poster/banner/hoarding which does not cohere with the surrounding, is bound to have bearing on the appearance or beauty of the public place or public property as the case may be. The Act of 1995 also defines the term "place open to public view", which includes any private place or building monument, statute, post, wall, fence, tree or contrivance visible to a person being in, or passing along, any public place. This definition is found in Section 2(c) of the Act. Section 2(d) of the Act defines term "public place" to mean any place (including a road, street or way whether a thoroughfare or not and a landing place) to which the public are granted access or have a right to resort or over which they have a right to pass. Section 3 of the Act of 1995 provides for penalty for defacement, the same reads thus :

"3. Penalty for defacement.- Whoever by himself or through any other person defaces any place open to public view shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both :

Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to any advertisement which,-

(i) is exhibited with the written permission of the local authority having jurisdiction over such area in his behalf;

(ii) is exhibited within the window of any building if the advertisement relates to the trade, profession or business carried on in that building; or

(iii) relates to the trade, profession or business carried on within the land or building upon or over which such advertisement is exhibited or to any sale or letting of such land or building or any effects therein or to any sale, entertainment or meeting to be held on or upon or in the same; or

(iv) relates to the name of the land or building upon or over which the advertisement is exhibited, or to the name of the owner or occupier of such land or building; or

(v) relates to the business of a railway administration and is exhibited within any railway station or upon any wall or other property of a railway administration."

6. Significantly, the offence punishable under the Act of 1995 have been made cognizable offence by virtue of the Section 4 of the said Act. Section 5 of the said Act authorizes the State Government to take such steps as may be necessary for freeing from any defacement, erasing any writing or removing any erection or fixation from, any place open to public view. Section 5 of the Act reads thus:

"5. Power of State Government to erase writings, etc.- Without prejudice to the provisions of section 3, it shall be competent for the State Government to take such steps as may be necessary for freeing from any defacement, erasing any writing or removing any erection or fixation from, any place open to public view. The expenditure incurred for such removal of defacement or for erasing any writing, or removing any erection or fixation, incurred by the State Government shall be recoverable from the person guilty of such offence under section 3 and if not paid, shall be recovered from such person as arrears of land revenue under the provisions of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, Mah.XLI of 1966)."

7. Notably, Section 7 postulates that the provisions of the Act of 1995 shall have effect notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law for the time being in force. In other words, the display of illegal hoarding/banner/poster would and ought to not only invite action under the provisions of the Act of 1949 or 1951, but also amenable to appropriate action by the Competent Authority of the State Government under the Act of 1995. Both, for removing the illegal hoarding/banner/poster, which is the cause for defacement of the place open to public view, as also to initiate appropriate action including criminal action against the person responsible for such display.

8. In addition to the abovesaid provisions, our attention has been rightly invited to the provisions of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (Control of Advertising or Hoarding) Rules, 2003 (hereinafter referred to as "the Rule of 2003" for the sake of brevity). We may refer to some of the relevant provisions of this Rules. The definitions are found in Rule 2 of the Rule of 2003. We may refer to some of the relevant definitions.

"2. Definitions.

(1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(2) "advertisement" means and includes any representation in any manner such as announcement or direction by words, letters, models, signs by means of any device or posters, hoardings boards, banners, temporary arches, illuminated signs, name boards, direction boards, small advertisement boards on existing poles, balloons, etc.; and the term "advertising" shall be construed accordingly;

(6) "banner" means cloth or any other material, which contains an advertisement;

(7) "building line" means the line up to which the plinth of a building adjoining a street or an extension of a street or future street may lawfully extend and shall include the line prescribed, if any, in any scheme or development plan, or under any other law, for the time being in force;

(9) "Commissioner" means a Municipal Commissioner or any officer of the Municipal Corporation duly authorised by him;

(13) "guard rail" means fence of rails support bars by means of metal or other material like fibre, etc. which is fixed on road, or as the case may be long median footpath, bridges etc., for guiding movement of traffic and pedestrians;

(14) "hoarding" means any surface of structure erected on ground or any portion of a roof of a building at, on or above the parapet, with characters, letters or illustrations applied thereto and displayed in any manner whatsoever, for purpose of advertising;

(15) "poster" means a sheet of paper or any other material used to advertise in a public place;

(19) "temporary arches" means temporary structures erected across the road for greeting of personalities or for display of an advertisement;"

9. Rule 4 is of some significance, it provides for procedure for obtaining permission and renewal of permission, the same reads thus:

"4. Procedure for obtaining permission and renewal of permission :

(1) No agency shall put up an advertisement without permission in writing from the Commissioner.

(2) Any agency intending to erect any type of hoarding, or an advertisement on rotaries and traffic island, guard rails, tree guards or sky-signs or balloons, shall make an application in the Form "A" or in case of renewal of permission in Form "B", in duplicate, together with such fees as may be determined by the Commissioner from time to tome.

(3) The application shall be accompanied by the following documents, namely :

(i) written permission of the owner of the land, where the land on which the hoarding is to be erected;

(ii) three copies of site plan showing location of advertisement or hoarding proposed to be erected;

(iii) design of the advertisement by a structural engineer except advertisement in case of banners or posters or balloons;

(iv) the No Objection Certificate from the Traffic Department of local Police shall be called by the Commissioner, if necessary;

(4) An applicant shall conform to the general guidelines described in Appendix 1.

(5) A separate application shall be necessary for each location and type of advertisement specified in Appendix 2.

(6) Every application received as per provisions of sub-rules (3) to (5), shall be acknowledged and the decision thereon shall be communicated by the Commissioner to the applicant in writing, within 45 days from the date of receipt of the application. If the decision on such application is not communicated to the applicant within the specified period, the permission shall be deemed to have been granted :

Provided that, while deciding the application the Commissioner shall be bound by the guidelines specified in Appendix 2.

(7) On the permission being granted or deemed to have been granted under sub-rule (6), the agency shall, within fifteen days thereof, pay the rent and or, as the case may be, the fees, or both. If the agency fails to pay the same, the permission shall stand cancelled after the expiry of the period of said fifteen days.

(8) On the permission being granted the Commissioner shall issue the licence in Form-C.

(9) A permission for advertisement at a particular location may be granted for a period not exceeding two years. The rental charges and or fees shall be collected from the agency as per the rate decided by the Commissioner, from time to time, and shall be binding on the agency. The rent or fees shall be paid by the agency to the Corporation, in advance for six months as advance to the Corporation."

10. The mandate of Rule 5 obliges the Commissioner to remove or demolish the hoarding/banner/poster, which has been put up without prior written permission or are in contravention of sub-Rules (1) to (5) of Rule 4 as the case may be. Thus, if it is found that the hoarding/banner/poster has been put up without written permission of the Municipal Commissioner, it is the bounden duty of the Corporation to forthwith demolish or remove the same. Besides adopting that course, the agency contravening the provisions of Rule 4 shall on conviction be liable to fine, which may extend to Rs.500/-, in terms of Rule 6. Indeed, the Commissioner is invested with the power to regularise the advertisement or hoarding as per Rule 7 of the said Rules, provided such hoarding or advertisement is in accordance with the provisions of the said Rules, upon charging a compounding fee not exceeding five times of chargeable fee. Appendix 1 of the said Rules has been articulated in the context of the obligation of the applicant or agency to conform to the general guidelines. The said general guidelines are spelled out in Appendix 1. Amongst other, it provides for the size of display of advertisement and the location of display thereof. It also provides for the guidelines regarding advertisement on guard rail or medians or on footpath. It also provides for guidelines in respect of advertisement on tree guards by way of banner/poster/temporary arches. The provisions in Appendix 2 are in the context of Rule 4(5) specifying the location and type of advertisement. Appendix 2 is the general guidelines for agency regarding size of hoarding and the location where it should be displayed and other incidental matters.

11. In this Petition, the grievance is about the rampant display of illegal posters/banners throughout the city and more particularly in and around the area of Kranti Chowk and in the vicinity of head office of the Corporation itself. The reports submitted on behalf of the Corporation from time to time virtually concede that illegal hoardings/posters/banners are being displayed in large numbers throughout the city. From the provisions referred to above, there can be no doubt that displaying any hoarding/banner/poster without taking prior permission of the Competent Authority under the provisions of the Act of 1949 or for that matter under the provisions of the Act of 1951 or any other Rules or Order in force, will have to be treated as unauthorized and liable to be removed forthwith. The display of such unauthorized hoardings/banners/posters not only result in defacement of public property and any place open to public view, but is an eyesore to the viewers thereby causing public nuisance. In a given case, it may also result in obstructing the free flow of traffic on the public roads. The same would not only be unlawful but unjust and unreasonable, irrespective of whether it has the effect of advertisement or otherwise. Suffice it to observe that the Authorities have a bounden duty to prevent and regulate display of illegal hoardings/banners/posters in the interests of amenity and public safety.

12. It will be useful to refer to Section 268 of the Indian Penal Code, the same reads thus :

"268. Public Nuisance :- A person is guilty of a public nuisance who does any act or is guilty of an illegal omission which causes any common injury, danger or annoyance to the public or to the people in general who dwell or occupy property in the vicinity, or which must necessarily cause injury, obstruction, danger or annoyance to persons who may have occasion to use any public right.

A common nuisance is not excused on the ground that it causes some convenience or advantage."

13. A person guilty of causing public nuisance can be proceeded in terms of Chapter XIV of the Indian Penal Code for appropriate offence including Sections 290 and 291 thereof. The person can also be proceeded for offence of abetment of such offence, as per Section 107 of the Indian Penal Code. Indeed, the criminal action for causing public nuisance is a non-cognizable offence, unlike the offence under the provisions of Act of 1995-which has been made cognizable and can be initiated by the State Government.

14. During the hearing, it was argued on behalf of the Corporation that experience shows that most of the banners/posters/hoardings on public roads, which are illegally displayed do not reveal the name of the person, who has displayed the same. The fact that such hoarding has been displayed without prior permission, is good enough to treat the same as unauthorized and liable for appropriate action against the concerned person. In case, the name of the person, who has extended good wishes or intends to felicitate his political mentor has disclosed his name, himself, would be primarily liable for display of such illegal hoarding/banner/poster. In addition, the person, whose picture has been prominently displayed, either to felicitate him on his success, welcoming his arrival in the city or for his success or birthday, that person may also be liable to be proceeded by the Competent Authority. That is so because, such posters are published and circulated by the workers at the behest of such political leaders to eulogise them. There ought to be presumption of abetment in allowing ones photograph to be advertised on the eve of birthday or for some success or arrival in the city. The fact that the photograph was not published by him or at his behest is a matter, which plea may be available to that person as a defence. By this process, not only the person, who has actually issued the publication or advertisement, himself would be responsible, but even the person for whose benefit and whose publicity, the publication has been done would also be liable. In that case, every political leader would ensure that all their supporters and workers are unambiguously advised and instructed to forbear and refrain from indulging in display of such illegal hoarding/poster/banner, which causes immense public nuisance and also raises environmental issues. Unless this view is taken, the damage caused on account of reckless display of large number of posters/banners/hoardings throughout the city will continue unabated.

15. The existing legal provisions are sufficient to protect and preserve the beauty of any place open to public view. We cannot be oblivious of the fact that the city of Aurangabad is acclaimed world over as a historical place and a tourist city. It is, therefore, imperative that there should be zero tolerance level regarding the display of illegal hoardings/banners/posters etc. Moreso because, such display results in causing obstruction to the public road or traffic and also defacement of the place open to public view. The overwhelming number of such illegal posters/banners/hoardings seen hanging around the entire city has the inevitable effect of causing public nuisance. It is an eyesore to the viewers. The viewers can certainly claim that their fundamental rights including guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India, are violated, by robbing them of clean and beautiful environment and surrounding free from any defacement. In a given case, the effect of displaying large number of illegal hoardings/banners/posters can have the effect of causing damage to public property. That mischief may be covered by the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. The said Act defines the expression mis-chief as having the same meaning as in Section 425 of the Indian Penal Code. The term "public property" has also been defined to mean any property, whether immovable or movable (including any machinery) which is owned by, or in the possession of, or under the control of the specified Authority. The mischief of causing damage to public property, as referred to in Sub-Section (2) of Section 3 of that Act, it has been made punishable with a term not less than six months, but may extend to five years and with fine. The provisions of this Act came up for consideration before the Apex Court in the case of In Re Destruction of Public and Private Properties Vs. State of Andhra Pradesh and others reported in (2009)5 SCC 212 : [2009 ALL SCR 1352], when the Apex Court has made recommendation for amending the said Act to incorporate for drawing a rebuttable presumption of mischief against accused persons and accused leaders and other matters. The Apex Court has formulated guidelines to make the enforcement of the said enactment more meaningful and effective.

16. Suffice it to observe that displaying illegal hoardings/banners/posters or boards by no standard can be and ought to be tolerated. To ensure effective enforcement of such policy, the Respondent - Corporation through their counsel submits that the Corporation would take all measures as may be necessary to ensure that no illegal hoarding/banner/poster/board is displayed in the city. If noticed, the same would be removed forthwith. In addition, the Corporation would initiate appropriate action against the person(s) responsible for display of the illegal hoardings/banners/posters/boards including against the person(s) for whose benefit and publicity the same may have been displayed. The action would include not only calling upon the said persons to pay the charges for having displayed of such illegal hoardings/banners/posters of boards for the relevant period and expenses incurred by the Authority to remove the same to be assessed on case to case basis, depending on the material that would be available during the inquiry; and also institute criminal action on the ground that their act of commission and omission has resulted in obstruction to the traffic and/or defacement of public property and/or damage to public property and/or public nuisance by invoking the relevant Enactments, Rules and Orders and take the said proceedings to its logical end. We agree with the submission of the Corporation that display of such illegal hoardings/banners/posters/boards in public places causes financial loss to the Corporation. As aforesaid, the Corporation may take steps to revise the charges payable for displaying hoardings/banners/posters/boards and in particular which are illegal.

17. It was stated that at present, the Corporation has only two vigilance squads consisting four labourers, four security guards, one building inspector, one driver with vehicle of Tata-407, which is deployed for seizure of illegal banners or digital boards etc. and which team is working on day-to-day basis. We hope and trust that to make the program effective and enforce the existing laws effectively, if necessary, the Corporation may consider of increasing the strength of vigilance squads. As a matter of fact, by virtue of the enactments and Regulations in place, the Corporation is obliged to ensure that the city is kept clean and beautiful and free from defacement of any public property. If the strength of vigilance squads were to be enhanced, it would not only accomplish this statutory obligation of the Corporation, but may also help in generating public exchequer by collecting appropriate charges and fines from the persons, who engage themselves in display of illegal hoardings/banners/posters/boards in the city. Assurance was given on behalf of the Corporation that in addition to taking action in respect of the display of illegal hoardings/banners/posters/boards regarding felicitation of political leaders, the Corporation would introduce a special drive to take action also against the boards/hoardings displayed even after the termination of licence period, in the same manner as displaying of illegal hoardings/banners/posters/boards since it would be presumed that the same are illegal.

18. Besides accepting the assurance given by the Corporation through the learned counsel, we also find merits in the suggestion given by the learned Amicus Curiae regarding the scheme for prevention of display of illegal posters/banners/hoardings/boards or temporary arches. In the first place, we are in agreement with the criticism made by the learned Amicus Curiae that the problem is the making of the Authorities, which is due to lack of coordination between the State and the local body (Corporation). The provisions of the enactment and Regulations referred to earlier, mandate that before displaying any posters/banners/hoardings or boards prior permission not only of the Corporation, but also of the State is necessary. In such a situation, it would be appropriate that there is proper coordination between the different authorities while granting permission. The authorities have not only to consider the size, but also the location where the proposed poster/banner/hoarding or board is to be displayed. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the display of proposed posters/banners/hoardings or boards would not cause obstruction to the traffic on the public road. For that, the opinion of the Traffic Department may have to be obtained before granting such permission either by the Police Department or by the Corporation, as the case may be. In that view of the matter, it may be appropriate to either constitute a "Nodal Authority", whose permission may be deemed to have been granted for the purpose of all the relevant enactments and Regulations. The decision of the Nodal Authority should be governed by the broad guidelines to be formulated by the Corporation and State Government in that behalf.

19. It may be appropriate to constitute a "Nodal Agency" even for taking action in respect of all the illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards. Inasmuch as, under the Corporation Act, the primary obligation is of the Corporation to remove such illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards, but under the provisions of the Act of 1995 and Rules of 2003, it is the State, who is competent to take such action. To obviate any conflict or inaction on account of multiple authorities for taking action for removing the illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards with promptitude, that job can be assigned to the "Nodal Agency" constituted for that purpose. That "Nodal Agency" would engage not only the staff and officers of the Corporation, but also from the concerned Police Department and Traffic Department of the State. On account of such wide participation, sufficient number of vigilance squads would be available, who in turn, can be assigned the job of covering specific area in the city on daily basis. The In-charge Officer of the squad of a specific area should be made personally responsible for any lapses or failure to take necessary action.

20. To ensure that only posters/banners/hoardings or boards, which have been permitted are displayed, the Corporation is inclined to henceforth make it mandatory to display the details of the permission given by the competent authority on the posters/banners/hoardings or boards itself. That will have to be prominently displayed with details of sanction number, the period upto which the permission would be valid and the size and location of the publication, which has been permitted. If that information is displayed on the concerned posters/banners/hoardings or boards, that would facilitate the officers and vigilance squad to re-assure themselves as to whether the same is in conformity with the permission. If no such information is displayed, there would be presumption that the concerned poster/banner/hoarding etc. is illegal and liable to be removed forthwith and also for taking appropriate action including for recovery of charges, fine and/or institution of prosecution.

21. To ensure that all the concerned departments work in tandem, the permission to be granted by the Competent Authority (Corporation), it should be marked to the Police Commissioner as well as Traffic Department for their information and necessary action. Similarly, if the permission was to be granted by the Police Department or Traffic Department as the case may be, the same should be marked to the specified department or Commissioner of the Corporation for information and necessary action.

22. As a matter of policy, the Corporation should identify the places where posters/banners/hoardings or boards can be displayed on the road or location open to public view. Once this exercise is undertaken, the Corporation may consider of allocating such identified places to the highest bidder by regularly conducting public auction for right to display advertisements, which would not only generate good amount of public exchequer but also ensure that those places are guarded by the auction purchasers themselves against display of any illegal posters/banners or boards. At the same time, the Corporation will have to identify and notify the places where there would be total ban for displaying such posters/banners/hoardings or boards etc. Such places may be historical monuments, important squares, medians and pubic places.

23. Besides taking above steps, the Authorities may focus on increasing public awareness to forbear from displaying any illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards, which can be done by forming committee under the chairmanship of the Municipal Commissioner. The Police Commissioner who is the Competent Authority under the Act of 1995 and the Bombay Police Act, should work in coordination with the Commissioner of the Corporation for effective implementation and execution of prevention of illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards etc. The Committee may consist of members from social organization, representative of registered political parties in the region, elected public representatives within the Corporation area and representatives of NGO's. That Committee should hold meeting at regular intervals, atleast once in a quarter, to review the implementation of the scheme and the performance of the vigilance squads and to make such suggestions and recommendations as may be necessary.

24. As aforesaid for spreading public awareness, the authorities, in particular, the Corporation may issue press release and appeal in the local newspapers to forbear from putting up any illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards. That movement will have to be taken to the level of school or college children, who may be useful resource persons in achieving the desired effect. The press release and appeal to be issued by the Corporation shall highlight about the penal consequence that may follow on account of display of illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards. That can be done also through its official website, local TV display cable connection, radio and advertisement in cinema theaters. In addition, handbill, pamphlet can be circulated alongwith the local daily newspapers, distributed throughout city.

25. We hope and trust that necessary steps will be taken by the Commissioner of the Corporation as well as the Collector Aurangabad, to explore the possibility of constituting a "Nodal Authority" for granting consolidated permission for display of posters/banners/hoardings or boards. In any case, we see no difficulty as to why the different authorities responsible to remove the illegal posters/banners/hoardings cannot consider of constituting one "Nodal Agency" for taking steps for effective implementation of the scheme to remove the illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards throughout the city and to ensure that no such illegal poster/banner/hoarding or board is displayed throughout the city.

26. Until formation of Nodal Authority/Agency, the primary obligation would be on the Corporation as well as the State Government to ensure that illegal posters/banners/hoardings or boards are not displayed in the city on any public road or property or place, which is open to public view. If any such illegal poster/banner/hoarding or board is noticed, that should be removed at the earliest opportunity and immediately thereafter action should be taken against the concerned person(s) for recovery of appropriate charges or fine including institution of prosecution and to take the said proceedings to its logical end.

27. While parting we express our gratitude to the Amicus Curiae for the able assistance given by him; as also appreciate the fair stand taken by the Corporation to tackle with the menace of illegal hoardings/posters/banners and more importantly of giving assurance to deal with the same sternly in future.

28. Accordingly, this petition is disposed of on the above terms. No order as to costs.

Ordered accordingly.