CENTRE FOR CONSUMER EDUCATION Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The above writ petition has been filed as a public interest litigation by a Society, raising socially relevant questions touching upon the safety of passengers commuting through the roads of the State. The petitioners claimed the following reliefs:-

(2.) We notice that the second respondent Director General of Police, State of Kerala has filed a counter affidavit through the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Police Head quarters, Thiruvananthapuram admitting the large number of unauthorised advertisements and hoardings in the National as well as the State highways. The said boards erected on the highways as also bye-roads block the line of sight of drivers and vehicles and also results in distracting the drivers. The occurrence of traffic blocks due to such advertisement boards collapsing on to the road and the danger to pedestrians, vehicles and passengers have also been highlighted. However, the police force in the State is said to be aware of such menace and the steps taken to control it has been stated elaborately in the counter affidavit. The various enactments have been noticed in the counter affidavit by the deponent as also the petitioner in Ext.P1.

(3.) It is not as if there are any impediments or lack of legislations in putting a stop to such unauthorised erection of hoardings and advertisement boards. It is also not that the Police are not aware of the same. The deponent of the affidavit, with reference to the steps taken have stated so in paragraph 8 and 9 of the counter affidavit which is extracted hereunder:-