[Bharat Jodo Yatra] No march can be allowed to be "niyam thodo yatra": Kerala High Court on illegal banners, flags

Rallies by political parties cannot be a license to break the law, the Kerala High Court said on Friday, coming down heavily on political parties for leaving behind posters, banners and other litter after organising rallies and marches [St. Stephen's Malankara Catholic Church Kattanam Village v State of Kerala ].Justice Devan Ramachandran, referring to the violation of its previous orders regarding political banners on public spaces, remarked that no procession can be allowed to be a "niyam thodo yatra", in an apparent reference to the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi"What will we say if one person gets distracted by these installations and meets with some fatal accident? Look at the size of these boards, what will happen if they fall on citizens?..This should not have been allowed. No procession can be allowed to be a 'niyam thodo yatra'. Posters and flags with faces are put up when any dignitary travels. We are doing the Swachh Bharat movement. Where will we go and dispose off all this?", the judge orally observed..He also pointed out the vanity of the exercise, saying, "When these big dignitaries visit, why should there be boards with their faces? These are people that everyone knows. Why is this being allowed?".The judge then asked the State government to explain how it allowed such banners to be put up on along the national highways and main city roads when the orders of the Court explicitly ban the same."How dare this be allowed when the whole state is covered by the order of this Court. I want every board to be removed from the State. I want every flag to be removed from the State, irrespective of its colour. Can you do it," Justice Ramachandran demanded..In its order, the Court recorded this sentiment stating,"In any other civilized country, orders of Courts would be implemented implicitly and it would not be necessary to act ex post facto after violations are noticed. Unless the political parties and every other entity including commercial entities act in deference to the laws of this nation, the consequences would be disastrous.".However, it did not pass any extensive directions today as the Additional Advocate General, Senior Advocate Ashok M Cherian, assured the Court on behalf of the State government that the various illegal installations that has come to its notice will be removed and that strong action will be taken against those responsible for violating the law..On Thursday, at the request of advocate Harish Vasudevan, who is also the amicus curiae in the case, the Court had convened a hearing of a 2018 plea seeking the removal of unauthorised banners, posters and flags of political parties from public spaces. Vasudevan had filed a report to show such installations were erected in connection with the Bharat Jodo Yatra on the sides of roads and highways, violating the previous orders of the Court in the matter and putting citizens at risk of accidents.The Court had minced no words in pulling up the "thoughtless actions" of political parties and the indifference of official authorities.It had also directed the State government to file a report by today on the illegal installations and the steps taken in that regard.