In this batch of writ petitions, notices issued under Section 421 of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporations Act (for short the Act), on behalf of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (for short the Corporation), demanding advertisement fees for the boards displayed by the petitioners are challenged. According to the petitioners, the notices are illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional and contrary to the provisions of the Act.

2. The petitioners are either business establishments, or professionals, undertaking various activities in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. They have erected boards, indicating the name of their establishments or depicting the activities undertaken by them. While in some cases, the boards are ordinary in nature without any technical features, in other cases, they are said to be illuminated.

3. The Corporation invited tenders for assigning the contract of collecting advertisement fee. M/s. U.S.M. Agency (for short the Agency) is said to have quoted about Rs.10 crores for the five zones of the Corporation put together and emerged as the highest tenderer. A contract was entered into and on the basis of the same, the said Agency served notices o