Candidates face flak for defacing house walls

As the campaign for MC elections ends today, residents of the city are outraged by widespread defacement of public and private properties by candidates in the recent days. Campaign materials such as posters and stickers from parties, including AAP, the Congress, BJP and SAD, have been indiscriminately pasted on walls without prior consent, leaving many residents frustrated.

Locals have highlighted the hypocrisy of candidates, who promise cleaner neighbourhoods and better waste management but contribute to creating massive amounts of waste. “Walls in most areas of the city are flooded with posters of candidates claiming they will bring development to their wards, if elected. If they can’t follow basic laws now, what should we expect from them later?" said an angry resident.

Meenal Verma, an eco-warrior known for her activism in waste management, recently took to social media to share her ordeal. She recounted how an AAP candidate’s campaign stickers defaced the wall of her house, requiring over 15 minutes to remove and still leaving stains behind. “This lack of respect for private property shows their attitude towards environment and people. Such waste only adds to our already burdened landfills,” she said, urging candidates to campaign responsibly.

Meanwhile, residents also urged the district administration for stricter enforcement of the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 1997, which prohibits any form of defacement on private or public property without explicit permission. Residents are urging the administration and municipal authorities to register FIRs against violators and ensure the removal of campaign materials from defaced walls.

Another resident Ashnoor Kaur points out, “This is not just about waste but also about accountability. If these candidates fail to respect basic laws during their campaigns, they cannot be trusted with governance, once elected.”

The situation has also raised concerns about the ethical standards of political campaigns, with many residents urging voters to remember these actions when casting their ballots.