Shops and establishments move Bombay High Court seeking extension of time to display Marathi signboards

The Indian Hotel and Restaurants Association (AHAR) has moved the Bombay High Court seeking extension of time to put up signboards in Marathi Devnagari script in front of shops and establishments..Advocate Dhruti Kapadia, appearing for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC),sought for time to get instructions on the extension of time.Advocate Vishal Thadani for the petitioners stated that if time is being granted to the civic authority then the petitioners ought to be protected from any coercive action till the next date.Refusing to grant any urgent relief, the division bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and MG Sewlikar said that if the petition is allowed, then the penalty amount will be refunded back. .The extension was sought by the association whose members included eating houses, restaurants and bars.They have challenged the validity of the deadline of May 31 fixed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for changing the language, font size and order of the language on the sign boards.The newly added requirements for changing signboards were prescribed by BMC under Section 36A of Maharashtra Shops & Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act.The petitioners stated that the amendment issued did not prescribe for a fixed time period, however through newspaper advertisements and notices issued to the establishments, a deadline of May 31 was fixed by the BMC.The petition stated that AHAR members are ready and willing to change the signboards.However, the newly added requirements will require huge expenses and labour for carrying out changes, the establishment owners said.The plea stated that failure to abide by the requirement within the deadline would attract penalty which could go as high as ₹5,000..In view of this, the petitioners prayed for an extension of time by 6 months.The petitioners prayed that till pendency of the writ, no coercive action be taken against the members.