HC: Will send you to jail for defacing public property

NEWDELHI : Issuing a strict warning against the defacement of public property during the Delhi University elections, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday cautioned students they would be sent to jail if they repeated the offence in the next polls.

“Make efforts to remove the defacement. Next year, we will get FIRS registered and send you to jail if you are found indulging in defacing public property ahead of the next DUSU election,” a bench of acting chief justice Gita Mittal and justice C Hari Shankar told the students who had contested the elections in 2017.

The court’s observation and direction came while hearing a plea by advocate Prashant Manchanda, who has sought a complete ban on defacement of public properties by Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) poll candidates.

The bench said it would not tolerate the blatant defacement of public property.

“Defacement of public prop- erty cannot be tolerated in any manner. You all are young and you should know how to keep your city clean. Next time you won’t be spared of such blatant act,” the court remarked.

The court expressed its displeasure on the failure of the Centre to place a report on spreading awareness about the punishment for defacing public property.

“Despite our orders dated December 22, 2017, no report has been placed regarding the publicity of punishment for defacement,” the court said, directing the Centre, Delhi government and the DMRC to place an action taken report within two weeks.

The bench asked the candidates to chalk out a mechanism for removing the existing defacements.

The court also directed the executive engineer (civil) of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC ) to get a proposal stating the actual cost for refurbishing the defaced property.

In 2017, 23 students were involved in defacing public property during DUSU elections .