Hoardings, posters, political flags dot the city

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 4

Not caring two hoots for the district electoral officer’s instructions to remove advertisements and hoardings after 5 pm on Thursday, all political parties failed to comply with the orders, as hoardings, posters and flags continue to dot the city. This is also a pointer towards the district administration’s lapse that failed to ensure compliance with orders of the district election officer.

The Election Commission of India issued extensive guidelines to the district election officers to ensure prohibitions during the period of 48 hours (5 pm on February 2, 2017) ending with hours fixed for the conclusion of poll in Punjab to be held on February 4, 2017. The Election Commission imposed complete prohibition on broadcasting or propagating election-related material on TV, radio or even newspapers. Any such material influencing the voters would not be permissible during the 48 hours before the poll.

On the instructions of the Election Commission, district electoral officer Basant Garg had passed orders to all candidates to remove their hoardings, posters or any poll-related material after 5 pm yesterday in the wake of the code of conduct. However, they paid scant regard to it.

Posters and hoardings of the SAD-BJP alliance still dot public places, boasting of “development works” and urging the people to vote for their party candidates. Similarly, the Congress, too, did not lag behind in littering every nook and corner of the holy city with their hoardings.

Big hoardings could be seen at Court Chowk, Ranjit Avenue, Hall Gate, Rialto Chowk and various other parts of the city, bragging about various projects.

Basant Garg, Deputy Commissioner-cum-district electoral officer, said stern action would be taken against the leaders who had failed to compliance with the EC directions.