Ban on banners: Time to file counter granted

CHENNAI: The government was granted time till February 27 to file its counter-affidavit on a writ petition seeking ban on erection of banners and pandals in public places. Passing interim orders on a public interest writ petition from social worker ‘Traffic’ K R Ramaswamy on January 3 last, the first bench comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam had granted four weeks time to the government to file the counter giving details regarding the steps taken to regulate erection of banners and pandals in public places.When the matter was taken up today, no such counter was filed. Following a plea from Advocate-General A Navaneethakrishnan to grant more time, the bench directed him to file the counter by that date stating specifically the steps taken for redress of the grievance of the petitioner.