After High Court rap, Karnataka Govt to ban illegal hoardings, banners in Bengaluru

Karnataka government plans to ban all illegal flex hoardings in Bengaluru, following Karnataka High Court's rebuke to BBMP for not curbing them. Deputy CM D K Shivakumar announces swift removal, hefty fines of Rs. 50,000 per violation, even for political hoardings.

The Karnataka government has decided to ban all illegal flex hoardings in Bengaluru, a move that follows a recent rebuke from the Karnataka High Court to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for not curbing the hoardings despite an existing ban. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, announced this important development, stating that the ban will be enforced in the coming days.

Highlighting the negative impact of these hoardings on the city's appearance, Shivakumar emphasized that they would be swiftly removed in accordance with the Karnataka High Court's guidelines. Any hoardings linked to political parties will be immediately taken down, without any prior warning. This pertains to hoardings displaying obituaries, birthday wishes, or those related to political parties.

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Already, approximately 59,000 flex hoardings have been removed by the BBMP authorities in Bengaluru. To deter the continuation of such illegal displays, strict measures will be employed, including legal actions against the owners. In fact, nearly 40 FIRs have already been filed against the unauthorized hoardings in the city.

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DyCM Shivakumar also outlined a plan to implement a fine of Rs. 50,000 for each illegal hoarding in the city, effective from Independence Day on August 15. This encompassing ban extends to political greetings, obituaries, birthday messages, and all other kinds of flex displays in public spaces.

The Karnataka High Court recently criticized the government for failing to adhere to the long-standing ban on such hoardings dating back to 2018. The BBMP authorities have not been successful in removing banners, flexes, and hoardings across the city, resulting in a direct violation of the law. In response, the High Court firmly asserted that stringent rules will be enforced, with each individual illegal flex or hoarding incurring a hefty fine of Rs. 50,000.