The Jharkhand High Court has directed the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) to ensure that advertisement boards fixed on streetlight or electricity poles on road dividers are placed at least 12 feet above the road surface.

A Single Judge Bench comprising of Justice Ananda Sen held that advertisement boards placed at a low height pose a danger to commuters and can also create blind spots. The Court directed the RMC to immediately remove such boards if they are below the prescribed height, or shift them above 12 feet.

The order was passed in petitions filed by advertising agencies challenging a direction requiring them to remove hoardings, monopoles and unipoles. The petitioners argued that the authorities should identify the particular hoardings which posed a threat instead of requiring removal of all hoardings. According to them, every hoarding could not be treated as a safety hazard.

RMC, on the other hand, submitted that monopoles, unipoles, billboards and other advertisements could distract drivers and lead to accidents, injuries and loss of life. It sought time to file a detailed counter affidavit.

While examining photographs placed before it, the Court specifically noticed a unipole advertising “Maa Gayatri Jewellers” which protruded towards the road, with the billboard extending up to the middle of the road. The Court also noticed advertisement boards fixed on streetlight poles on road dividers at a low height. It said such boards could strike motorcyclists and other two-wheeler riders passing through the road. It observed:

"Placing the advertisement boards at such a low height in the middle of the roads on the electricity poles, is definitely a threat to the commuters. Further, those creates blind spot also.”

Accordingly, the Court directed that any advertisement board, hoarding or placard on streetlight poles or unipoles below the 12-foot mark must either be removed immediately or raised above that height.

The matter will be heard again next week. The RMC has also been directed to file its counter affidavit in the meantime.

Case Title: Jharkhand State Outdoor Advertising Association v. State of Jharkhand

Case Number: W.P.(C) No. 2560 of 2026

Appearance: Mr. Amit Kumar Das, Senior Advocate, with Mr. Sankalp Goswami, Mr. Indrajit Sinha, Mrs. Prerna Jhunjhunwala and Mr. Souma Ranjan Mukherjee for the Petitioners; Mr. P.A.S. Pati, Ms. Priyanka Kumari and Ms. Vaishnavi Kaushik for the Respondents.

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