Mysuru’s heritage under flex assault, MGP calls for strict enforcement

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The MGP says that prominent public places had been increasingly covered with political advertisements. | Photo Credit: File Photo

The Mysuru Grahakarara Parishat (MGP) has urged the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to strictly enforce anti-flex laws and take criminal action against those responsible for putting up unauthorised flex banners, hoardings and digital boards across the city.

Expressing serious concern over the proliferation of illegal advertisements and flex menace in the city, the MGP said the unauthorised displays were defacing Mysuru’s historic character, public spaces and heritage zones, besides posing a threat to city’s aesthetics and pedestrian safety.

Stating that the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981, clearly prohibits unauthorised public advertisements and provides for punishment, including imprisonment and fines, the MGP, which had raised the illegal flex issue on many occasions seeking the MCC’s action, urged the MCC to invoke the provisions of the Act irrespective of the political or commercial interests behind the displays.

MGP office-bearers including Working president S.K. Dinesh, Founding Working president Bhamy V. Shenoy, Treasurer Ravi Bale, EC member T.R. Ravindran addressed a press conference here on Wednesday urging the MCC to take stringent action on the illegal flex issue.

They referred to the Karnataka Municipalities and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which, they said, strengthens the regulatory framework for outdoor advertisements and empowers urban local bodies to take action against unauthorised displays on public and private properties, initiate criminal proceedings and recover removal costs from violators.

The MGP members said prominent public spaces in Mysuru had been increasingly covered with political advertisements and event hoardings put up to celebrate birthdays, welcome newly elected political leaders and mark other achievements, and questioned the MCC’s failure to take action or impose fines against the violators as mandated under the law.

Drawing a parallel with the broken windows theory, it said the failure to enforce even a basic law could weaken respect for the rule of law and contribute to poor governance.

They particularly cited Temple Road as an example of the proliferation of flex banners, stating that there was hardly any space left for erecting more banners.

Even as the city is drowned in political flexes, the MGP recalled the contribution of former MCC Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde in 2021, claiming that his strict enforcement of the 1981 Disfigurement Act had helped keep Mysuru free of illegal flex banners, except in designated areas.

The MGP urged the MCC to file FIRs and prosecute political and commercial violators under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981 and utilise the enhanced provisions of the 2026 amendment to remove illegal advertisements and penalise printing agencies and organisers responsible for them. It also demanded to recover costs incurred in removing unauthorised banners and structures and establish a dedicated helpline to enable citizens to report illegal flex banners and hoardings.

The MGP also appealed to Mysuru residents to report unauthorised flex banners and urged the MCC to act before the city’s heritage character and old-world charm were damaged.

The MGP has also launched an online campaign seeking action against the flex issue. Interested can visit https://c.org/yky6F7yYB7 to sign the petition.

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