Massive illegal hoarding set up near Kerala Secretariat, defying High Court orders

Thiruvananthapuram: In blatant defiance of repeated judicial orders, a massive hoarding has been erected near the Cantonment Gate of Kerala’s State Secretariat, highlighting the ongoing disregard for the Kerala High Court’s directives on illegal signage. Despite the court's repeated criticism of district authorities for failing to remove unauthorised hoardings, such violations continue to persist.

The Kerala High Court has often reprimanded local authorities for not acting against illegal hoardings in public spaces. Recently, the court questioned the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation secretary, asking if they were prepared to submit a report on the number of unauthorised boards in the city. Yet, these repeated interventions have failed to curb the issue.

Hoarding erected by CPM-backed group

The latest hoarding, placed near the Secretariat, has been installed by the CPM-backed Kerala Secretariat Employees Association. It announces the inauguration of a new building to mark the association's Golden Jubilee, with a large image of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and V Joy, CPM Thiruvananthapuram district secretary and MLA from Varkala, featured prominently. The hoarding also includes a portrait of the late CPM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, whose image will be unveiled during the event.

This installation comes months after the Kerala High Court condemned the rise of unauthorised hoardings, calling it a sign of lawlessness in the state. In a statement last October, the court remarked, “Thiruvananthapuram is our capital city. If such lawlessness exists, who is to blame? Is it the High Court? A contempt case against officials might be the only way to rouse them from their slumber. People in governance do not care about the law. This kind of lawlessness is now defining Kerala as the so-called 'new Kerala'."

Adding to the irony, the unauthorised hoarding is positioned at the entrance of the Secretariat’s Cantonment Gate, a route frequently used by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself.

Agency