The Supreme Court has directed the State of Tamil Nadu to take all necessary steps to ensure that there is no defacement/disfigurement of any public places including rocks, hills, hillocks, public constructions by writing slogans, messages of political parties including depiction of photographs of public figures/ politicians until further orders.
The bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta issued this interim order in a Special Leave Petition filed by 'In Defence of Environment and Animals (Idea)' unsatisfied with the judgment passed by Madras High Court in this regard.
In its counter affidavit, the state submitted that the High Court of Madras had constituted a Committee to look into the matter and hear the grievances in this regard and to take corrective steps and that the petitioner is free to approach the Committee.
The court observed that the State has failed to respond to the earlier order of the Court which directed it to file response in the matter. It said:
"The counter affidavit of the State of Tamil Nadu is not in the spirit of the order of this Court dated 08.03.2019. What the court desired the State to do is to take preventive steps from defacement/disfigurement of public places by slogans, particularly election slogans when the elections are round the corner."
'Elephant' G.Rajendran, the Managing Trustee of IDEA, had approached the Madras High Court in 2006 seeking a direction from the Court to prevent encroachments by anybody by any means including religious symbols and political graffiti, advertisements by private parties on the natural resources like mountains, hills, hillocks, roubles, avenue trees and on the centre median of the National and State Highways. The High Court had closed the writ petition observing that the Government has the process would take some time.
Read Order
![SC Directs TN Govt. To Ensure There Is No Defacement Of Public Places With Political Slogans And Politicians Photos [Read Order]](https://www.livelaw.in/h-upload/2019/02/11/750x450_358214-supreme-court-of-india.jpg "SC Directs TN Govt. To Ensure There Is No Defacement Of Public Places With Political Slogans And Politicians Photos [Read Order]")
