The petitioner has filed this writ petition challenging the prosecution proceedings initiated against him by Exts.P10 to P13 alleging that he had displayed advertisements in a hoarding put up by him, unauthorisedly and without getting permission from the Corporation. According to the petitioner he has been displaying the advertisements from 2006 onwards, on hoardings that were erected with the permission of the Corporation and he had been paying tax in respect of such hoardings as evident from the receipts issued to him, Exts.P4, P5, P6 and P7. Thereafter the tax has not been received from the petitioner. Though the petitioner has submitted Exts.P8 and P9 applications for regularisation, no orders have been passed on the said applications also. Instead, according to the petitioner Exts.P10 to P13 proceedings have now been issued. As per Ext.P13, according to the petitioner, an exorbitant amount has been W.P.(C).No.26853 of 2014 2 demanded from him as tax and he is threatened with prosecution proceedings also. 2. Adv.Millu Dandapani appears for the Corporation. Since Exts.P8 and P9 applications for regularisation are pending before the first respondent, it is only appropriate that the said applications are considered and finally disposed of, before any coercive action is taken against the petitioner, as evidenced by Exts.P10 to P13.
This writ petition is, therefore, disposed of, directing the first respondent to consider Exts.P8 and P9 applications submitted by the petitioner in accordance with law and to pass appropriate orders thereon, as expeditiously as possible and at any rate, within a period of one month of the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. All further proceedings pursuant to Exts.P10 to P13 shall be kept in abeyance, until final orders are passed on Exts.P8 and P9 in accordance with the above direction.
Sd/-
K.SURENDRA MOHAN, JUDGE.
rkc.