Madras HC bans photos of living persons on hoardings, banners in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday banned the use of photographs or pictures of living persons on banners, hoardings and signboards across Tamil Nadu. 

In its direction to the state chief secretary, the court said, "If at all any permission is given by the authority concerned for erecting banners, flex boards, sign-boards, etc, the authority concerned shall ensure that the photos/pictures of such persons who are alive, shall not be depicted by way of those banners, flex boards, sign boards etc."

The court asked the Tamil Nadu's top official to maintain a clean environment and also ensure that there were 'no unnecessary drawings' on buildings and residential places in all wards of the southern state.

The judge recorded the submissions of the counsel for the corporation, including the commissioner, and the inspector of police of Arumbakkam station, that all the banners and party flags, if any, not removed, would be removed forthwith.

It means that pictures of the chief minister, ministers or politicians can no longer be used in posters or hoardings, often put up as a show of strength and support – larger the better.

The court has also barred the use of photos of people sponsoring the pictures.

The court was hearing a plea by Chennai resident B Thirulochana Kumari who had asked the local civic body to remove a party board, banner and a flag erected in front of her home by a Mathi.

The petitioner submitted in April, that a person named Mathi erected a party flag in front of her property and when this was objected to, she was threatened with dire consequences. She had alleged that the inspector declined to accept her representation to take action against Mathi and threatened that a case would be registered against her under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

According to the petitioner, it was removed later but another signboard was erected in the same place.

(With PTI inputs)