The Kerala High Court (HC) on Friday lashed out at the State government for what it called its failure to implement HC directives against the illegal erection of flex boards, banners, and boards.
The reprimand was particularly over allowing mainline political parties such as Congress and BJP to erect such installations along the national highways in connection with the Bharat Jodo Yathra and the recent Prime Minister’s visit.
Justice Devan Ramachandran observed that it was a shame that orders of the court had been dwelt with in a cavalier manner. The government would have its own compulsion, political or otherwise, in not noticing such illegal erection of banners or posters or taking action against violations of the court orders.
The inefficiency or indifference of these authorities could not be taken lightly, the court said, adding if the orders of the court were refused to be or failed to be implemented by the government or its agencies, then it spells doom for the well-enshrined traditions of democracy.
The court also pointed out that the High Court was accused of acting with some agenda because some of the violations were not being dealt with as was done in the case of others. It was extremely unfortunate. When the court had already passed orders, it was for the State government and its agencies to implement them continuously, and it did not require the court to intervene at every stage whenever there were violations.
The court also added that if the State government had taken the orders passed by the court seriously, none of these offending installations of banners would have ever been put up along the roads. In any other civilized country, orders of courts would be implemented immediately, and it would not be necessary to act ex post facto when such violations were noticed.
Unless political parties and every other entity, including commercial entities, film companies, etc., acted in deference to the laws of the nation, the consequences would be disastrous.
The court also directed the Principal Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Chief Secretary, and State Police Chief, to file a detailed report on the actions taken with respect to the installations along the national highways.
