BBMP falls in line, pulls down BJP's hoardings

BENGALURU: Stung by Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi's letter to BBMP commissioner M Lakshminarayana on BJP hoardings in the city, the civic body's teams led by joint commissioners pulled down the hoardings and cutouts that did not have any permission. The BBMP is facing a crisis with the Upa Lokayukta issuing a notice to the BBMP commissioner asking for his explanation how it granted permission to the BJP for erecting flexes, hoardings and cutouts in spite of a "ban".

BJP leaders put up banners, cutouts, and other display materials in the light of prime minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah's three-day visit to Bengaluru.

According to Justice Adi, the BBMP council had, on February 28, passed a resolution to completely ban advertisements by way of hoardings and cutouts and the existing ad bylaws have prohibited ads around the Vidhana Soudha. Justice Adi, who has not taken the BJP's name in his letter but referred to it as a political party, wondered how the BBMP could have given a "temporary permis sion" when no such thing exists.

Justice Adi has also argued the hoardings will go against the spirit of Swachh Bharat campaign which the prime minister is spearheading.

His notice has asked the BBMP commissioner to provide details of the number of permits given. "The commissioner had directed a junior officer from the advertisement department to appear on his behalf and explain," a source said. Not convinced, the Upa Lokayukta has now asked the commissioner to explain the lapse before April 9.

According to BBMP sources, the BJP sent requests to put up the advertisement material but the ad section in the BBMP rejected it on the grounds of the ban and also because the issue of hoardings was under the Upa Lokayukta's investigation. But the higher-ups in BBMP overruled the opinion of the officials below and allowed to the BJP to go ahead. The approval, according to officials, was granted perhaps because the BBMP resolution was awaiting approval at the government level, and until the urban development department endorses the resolution and notifies it, the ban would only remain on paper.