New Delhi: Despite a clearly defined law and clear directions from courts against defacing the city’s public infrastructure with illegal hoardings and posters, rampant violations are going unchecked.
Hoardings of candidates for Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) elections have sprung up on both sides of Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. These hoardings and posters have been randomly placed on grilles on the divider and lodged awkwardly against streetlight poles, right up to Delhi Gate, giving the entire area an unkempt look.
At least two large hoardings have been pinned to trees in the green space in front of Maulana Azad Medical College campus.
The polling at Arun Jaitley Stadium started on Dec 13 and the results will be declared on Dec 16. Delhi High Court had recently halted the counting of votes for Delhi University Student Union polls till walls defaced on the campus were restored after cleaning and painting and a fine imposed on the candidates.
Police data reveals a 106% increase in cases registered for defacement of public property this year over 2023. By Oct 31, the police had filed 2,450 cases for the offence against 1,187 in the same period last year, 798 in 2022 and 87 three years ago.
The law prescribes a prison term of up to six months and a fine of up to Rs 1,000 or both for defacing public property.
Officials of Municipal Corporation of Delhi have promised action. “This has come to our notice and appropriate action will be taken against the violators,” said an MCD official. Usually, the civic bodies act against illegal hoardings and posters during election time as per the directions of Election Commission.
