Chennai, Feb 16( BPNS)

Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu State Election commission officials to remove all the posters pasted on walls in Chennai by the candidates contesting Urban local body elections. The first bench of the Madras High Court comprising of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy order said that no one should be allowed to disfigure the city.

The first bench also directed the Greater Chennai Corporation to recover the cost incurred for removing each poster from the walls. The bench said,” Any violation of the order would be dealt with contempt of court proceedings.”

The bench also said that if the posters were pasted after permission from the owners of the properties, appropriate permission was necessary from the concerned authorities for pasting posters on walls.

The court passed the order while disposing of a plea moved by P. Arumugam of the AIADMK who is contesting from ward 117 of the Chennai Corporation. The petitioner informed the court that his DMK opponent was causing a hindrance to his campaign. Arumugam also told the court through his counsel that the DMK candidate had pasted posters over his posters thus making sure that his posters are not being seen by the voters.

The petitioner produced pictures to support his claim. He also informed the court that he wanted the court to direct the state Election commission to provide uninterrupted and additional police force for the ward.

The first bench of the Madras High Court took the pictures produced as proof and asked the authorities including the State election commission and the Greater Chennai Corporation officials to prosecute the violators including the petitioner,P. Arumugam for pasting posters over the walls.