MHC directs law enforcers to take action against political parties erecting illegal flag poles

CHENNAI: The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court (MHC) directed the law enforcement agencies to take action against the erring political parties illegally erecting flag poles encroaching National Highways (NH).

The first division bench comprising Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy heard the public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to take action against the illegal erection of flag poles belonging to various political parties

The counsel for the highways department submitted that on March 9 totally 89 flag poles were removed from 45 places.

It was also submitted that the still several flag poles that are encroaching on the NH are to be removed.

After the submission, the bench observed that despite the court having passed several orders earlier in this regard but the encroachment of flag poles is recurring.

Further, the bench directed the law enforcement agencies to take action immediately against the political parties encroaching on NH to erect its flag poles. The bench also directed the State to submit a compliance report and posted the matter to March 25 for further submission.

The litigant R Ramalingam, an advocate from Chennai stated that various political parties illegally encroached on the National Highways and erected flag poles, causing huge vehicle traffic on the NH roads, including school vans and ambulances.

The litigant also submitted that through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, it was disclosed that 40 illegal flag poles are erected on NH roads in Chennai and 48 illegal poles erected in Kancheepuram-Ranipet, said the litigant.

Considering the safety of the larger public and to prevent the loss of human lives, a representation was given to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), however, no action has been taken, contended the litigant.