Contempt Plea Filed In Punjab & Haryana High Court Over Violation Of 18 Yrs Old Order For Removal Of Billboards & Hoardings From Roads

The petitioners approached the High Court under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 for the initiation of contempt proceedings against the Chief Secretary of the Punjab Civil Secretariat as well as the Municipal Commissioner, Zone-D, Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana.

In July 1998, in Namit Kumar v. Union Territory, Chandigarh Administration, CWP-7639-1995, the High Court had had issued various for removal of boards from the roads and for demolition of iron or concrete pillars supporting such hoardings and signboards within a period of one month.

Subsequently, in 2004, a division bench of the High Court in the same matter ordered the State Transport Authority and the Municipal Corporation to remove signboards and hoardings within a period of 15 days.

However, despite the lapse of over 18 years since the 2004 order, boards have not been removed in a ‘deliberate and wilful violation of the High Court order,’ submitted the petitioner body on the December 22 hearing.

Further, claiming it to be a major road safety issue with hoardings often effectively distracting the attention of drivers of motor vehicles, the petitioners stated that they had earlier served a demand notice on the respondents and on certain other officers calling upon them to remove such boards. However, no action was taken.

The matter will be taken up for hearing on February 13.

Advocates H.C. Arora and Ms. Sunaina appeared for the petitioners, Additional Advocate General Ajit Singh Natt appeared for the State and Advocate Sanjeev Soni appeared for the respondent No. 2.

Case Title: Council of Engineers and Another v. V.K. Januja and Another

Citation: COCP-2736-2022

Coram: Justice B.S. Walia

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