While the matter will be taken up in the standing committee meeting to be held again next week, as it was deferred for re-consideration, councillors are split over the “never-heard-before” idea. Ram Kishan Singhal, chairman of the MCD Standing Committee, said: “I think signboards should be taxed because they distract motorists and disturb the traffic. But we don’t want to burden the traders of Delhi either.”

Meera Agarwal of the Bharatiya Janata Party had opposed the bill when it was tabled. She said: “Decisions like setting limits to the size of signboards are attempts to interfere with the independent choice of the traders.”

Singhal added that the final decision would be taken only after a discussion with the officials concerned.