The coercive action could include removal of hoardings, structures on which advertisements were displayed and attachment of the properties of advertising agencies or individuals assessees, the court said. Justice Vineet Kothari passed the order after noticing from the status report filed by the BBMP that 67 advertisement agencies, which have filed petitions questioning the tax demand, are yet to pay up. Other agenciesThe court directed the BBMP to submit a status report on tax collection about other advertisement agencies, which have not approached the court but have licences for hoardings. Expressing dissatisfaction on the slow pace of removal of unauthorised hoardings, the court said that only 309 of the 2,439 unauthorised hoardings have been removed. It refused to accept the BBMP’s claim of non-availability of contractors and staff to dismantle unauthorised hoardings.

Source: The Hindu July 26, 2017 16:18 UTC