Maximum hoardings removed in Kolkata, says EC

Around 98 percent of hoardings, flags and cut-outs have been removed in areas covered by Kolkata civic body following Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi's warning on violations of Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming assembly polls, an official said on Wednesday.

"Around 98 percent of hoardings, flags etc. have been removed in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area. The rest will be uninstalled as soon as possible," additional chief electoral officer Dibyendu Sarkar told the media here.

The Election Commission on Tuesday set a two-day deadline for West Bengal officials to rectify violations of the model code in some areas for the coming assembly elections and warned it would take a "serious view" if "laxity" in enforcing it continued.

Zaidi directed that all flags, banners, hoardings and photographs displayed on government buildings, public transport and bridges in violation of the code will have to be removed within the time frame.

Sarkar said 50 teams have been deployed to ensure rectification with regards to the hoardings and other items.

"As many as 1,355 flags, 2,643 temporary hoardings and 58 political cutouts have been removed till now," he said.

In addition, Sarkar said as many as 193 observers (general, police, expenditure) will be deployed in 294 assembly constituencies in the state. Except Cooch Behar, every district in north Bengal, would be monitored by seven police observers, he said.

Polls in Bengal kick-off on April 4 and for the first phase (split into two days on April 4 and April 11), 46 nominations have been filed, the official informed.