Radhakrishnan, an advocate, had filed a petition seeking to direct the Government and Travancore Devaswom Board to take immediate steps to commence and complete the maintenance of the entire road network in the State before the commencement of the Sabarimala festival season as lakhs and lakhs of devotees are expected to arrive at Sabarimala Sannidhanam during this season mainly using road network provided by the state. The roads are in a very bad shape.

The very same prayer had been made in a report submitted by the Special Commissioner, Sabarimala.

The Bench, consisting of Justice AR. Lakshmanan and Justice K Narayana Kurup, opined that the prayer had to be answered in the affirmative.

Concerning the advertisement boards of varying sizes erected atseveral places in the properties belonging to private individuals, with the inscription ``Gold Plating of Sreekovil, Sabarimala -- sponsored by Mc Dowell and Co Ltd, United Breweries Ltd,'' the Bench said it could not issue any direction to the owners of the private properties.

Meanwhile, another Bench of the High Court has directed the Government to formulate effective steps to abate the hardships and inconveniences caused to the travelling public due to bus strikes which occur frequently.

The Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police should file affidavits on or before October 30, detailing the steps they may take to meet such strikes or call for stopping plying of buses in the state.

The direction was issued by Justice C S Rajan while disposing of a writ petition filed by two bus operators in Kollam district seeking police protection to ply their buses from October 1, when private bus operators were supposed to stop plying their buses following a strike call.

Though the strike was deferredtemporarily, the danger of strike was still looming large on the people of Kerala as it always repeats at frequent intervals. Therefore, it is a case where the people of the State are affected. So it is the duty of the Government to see that the people are not put to inconveniences by the strike called by bus owners in the State.

At least before the next strike is called, effective steps have to be announced by the Government to meet the challenge of the bus operators so as to lessen the inconveniences and hardships caused to the travelling public.