The First Hall of the Civil Courts yesterday rejected a request for the issue of a warrant of prohibitory injunction to prevent the Lands Department from removing billboards in December 13 Road, Marsa.

The request was made by Active Enterprises Ltd, which argued that it held a Mepa permit to put up the billboards. It pointed out that five years ago it approached Marsa local council, which claimed it was the relevant authority. Since then, rent had been paid to the council. The company said it was never told to contact the Lands Department.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Geoffrey Valenzia, found that the company needed a permit from the owner of the land. Since this was public land, authorisation was required from the Director of Lands and the Mepa permit was conditional to the authorisation of the landowner.

The court gave the company until Tuesday to remove the billboards. If they are not removed the Lands Department will remove them itself at the company's expense.

The Parliamentary Secretariat for Revenues and Land said in an official statement that the Commissioner for Lands had written to the Local Councils Department informing it that councils had no right to charge a fee for allowing the billboards on government land and that such practice was illegal.