BJP-Sena have most illegal hoardings in Maha, HC told

In a perfect instance of rulers breaching the law, the ruling parties – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have displayed the most number of illegal hoardings, during religious festivals, the Bombay High Court was informed on Monday.

A division bench of led by Justice Abhay Oka was informed that the ruling parties – BJP and Shiv Sena have topped the list of political parties displaying illegal hoardings, in Maharashtra.

According to the chart, submitted by NGO – Suswarajya Foundation – the Shiv Sena has put up 47 illegal hoardings while the BJP (including its youth wing) displayed 41 of such hoardings.

This data might invite the bench’s ire as several bigwigs of the political parties, like MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Ashish Shelar of BJP, had filed an undertaking to the bench assuring no hoarding would be put up, without permission from the concerned municipal corporation.

The data, according to the NGO, was complied from the numerous affidavits filed by various municipal corporations in 2016 and 2018.

The list shows Congress party displayed 17 illegal hoardings followed by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with 15 such hoardings. Then comes Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Republic Party of India with seven hoardings each.

The bench has taken the chart on record and is likely to hear the arguments this week.

The bench was seized with a batch of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) seeking action against political parties and private entities, who put up hoardings illegally and deface the public properties.

The bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka had passed a detailed judgment in 2016, prohibiting display of illegal hoardings and is now dealing with the compliances of all municipal corporations in this regard.

According to the chart, submitted by NGO – Suswarajya Foundation – the Shiv Sena has put up 47 illegal hoardings while the BJP (including its youth wing) displayed 41 of such hoardings