Overview

• The Supreme Court bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi dismissed an appeal on August 8 and upheld the January 27 Madras High Court order.
• The ruling characterises permanent flagpoles on streets, pavements, highways and other government land as unlawful encroachment.
• Political parties and organisations must dismantle existing public-land poles within 12 weeks or face removal by authorities after a two-week notice, with costs recovered from them.
• Permanent flagpoles remain allowed on private property with official permission and temporary public poles may be erected for events subject to rent and site restoration.
• District collectors and department heads are tasked with monitoring compliance and the state government has been directed to frame rules for private-land installations.