Bare Act
The Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959
The Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959 regulates advertisements, posters, banners, and effigies displayed in places visible to the public across Tamil Nadu, including on state transport vehicles. It prohibits objectionable advertisements that incite violence, offend religious beliefs, or display obscene content, as well as unauthorised posters or hoardings that endanger public safety or obstruct traffic. It applies to individuals, advertisers, and companies operating within the state. This law matters because it preserves public aesthetics, prevents visual clutter and traffic hazards, protects property owners from unauthorized postings, and maintains public order by curbing inflammatory media.
- 1. Short title and extent
- 2. Definitions
- 3. Penalty for disfigurement by objectionable advertisements
- 3-A. Penalty for disfigurement by certain categories of unauthorised advertisements without permission
- 3-B. Constitution of Traffic Committee
- 3-C. Appeal
- 4. Penalty for unauthorized disfigurement by advertisements
- 4-A. Prohibition of pasting of posters and fixing of thatty boards, etc.
- 4-AA. Prohibition of pasting of posters and fixing of thatty boards, etc., on Motor Vehicles
- 4-B. Penalty
- 4-C. Power to try offences summarily
- 5. Punishment of abettors
- 6. Burden of proof in certain cases
- 7. Offences by companies
- 8. Offences under the Act to be cognizable
- 9. Indemnity
- 10. Other laws not affected
- 11. Power to make rules
PDF: pending for this language.