The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has urged all political parties to instruct its employees to rigorously abstain from installing unapproved banners and hoardings after failing to successfully stop the construction of unlawful political hoardings. In an effort to resolve the matter, the BMC has written to local politicians in each ward, urging them to follow civic laws and make sure their supporters follow the guidelines.
Mumbai saw a rise in illegal hoardings, banners, and posters in 2024, mostly due to state assembly and Lok Sabha elections. From January to December 2024, almost 70,930 unlawful ads were taken down. Accountability is called into doubt because, in 29 cases, the police were notified, but no formal complaint was filed against the offenders.
The city lacks an efficient regulatory framework to control the growing number of unapproved advertisements because the BMC's "Outdoor Advertisement Display" policy, which was drafted in August to address the issue, has not yet been finalised.
A civic official said that any illegal hoardings discovered at the site are actively removed by BMC's ward-level crew, but regrettably, they reappear the very following day. Additionally, the civic body has directed printers to obtain civic consent prior to printing ads that will be placed on city streets or sidewalks. They have made the decision to ask local authorities, such as the Legislative Council member, the member of parliament, and party presidents, to prevent their party workers from breaking the law regarding hoarding displays in order to solve the problem of unlawful political banners.
The civic ordinance that forbids temporary advertisements like hoardings, banners, boards, and cutouts on roads and walkways is emphasised in a letter that the H/West ward wrote to local representatives. It goes on to say that any political party that wants to put up banners or hoardings on sidewalks, roadways or at BEST bus line shelters must get the required approval from the relevant authorities and pay the appropriate advertising fees.
The letter also asks that local representatives make sure their party members obey the guidelines set down in the Bombay High Court's (HC) 2017 order, which prohibits the erection of such hoardings and banners.
Photographs demonstrating the explosive growth of unlawful hoardings by political parties close to the High Court complex were strongly objected to by the HC in December 2024. The political parties received notices from the court asking them to provide an explanation for why contempt proceedings should not be brought against them for disobeying court orders. No agency or individual may install or display advertisements such as banners, boards, or flags without prior consent from the relevant authorities, according to the new draft policy that the BMC has published.
The Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act of 1995 and Section 471 of the BMC Act of 1888 both penalise unauthorised exhibitions. Violations are punishable by up to three months in jail, a INR 2,000 fine, or both.
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