Devan Ramachandran, J.

1. Read order dated 27/07/2018.

2. In pursuance of the directions in the above order, the Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government Department has sworn to an affidavit on behalf of the Chief Secretary as also the Principal Secretary to the Public works Department and the same is on record.

3. Glancing through the affidavit and in particular paragraphs 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8, the unequivocal stand of the authorities appear to be that Flex Boards/Bill Boards/Advertisement Boards installed without the permission of the concerned Local Self Government Institutions, namely, the Corporation, Municipality or Panchayat, as the case may be, violates law and that the erection of boards would have to be seen as being completely illegal. In fact, in paragraph 3 of the affidavit, the respondents admit that large Flex Boards and Bill Boards are often erected without the permission of the Local Self Government Institutions and this causes inconvenience to the public and impedes the free flow of traffic. The respondents, thereafter, say that the control with respect to placing of Advertisement Boards is within the respective Local Self Government Institutions, namely