Summary:
MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Thursday prohibited political parties from using plastic banners, flex boards and PVC ( polyvinyl chloride ) cutouts and mass mobilisation of crowd for political campaigns across the state.Acting on a PIL filed by K K Ramesh of Madurai, a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice S S Sundar said that since flex boards and cutouts are manufactured using PVC, which contains toxins that could cause health hazard, and considering the possibility of their use going up significantly due to election campaigning in the state, political parties are being banned from using them.The judges, who suo motu impleaded 16 political parties including the AIADMK, DMK, BJP and the Congress in the petition, also directed authorities to bar mass mobilization of crowd through trucks, buses and other vehicles for election meetings and political processions.People who wish to attend these events can come on their own, the judges said, and adjourned the case for further hearing on March 21..