Poll violations: Over 1,370 pictures of politicians erased in Coimbatore
Coimbatore: The impact of the poll ‘Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is already beginning to tell in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district.
Over 15 complaints were lodged at the control room at the Coimbatore district Collectorate, regarding violations of the poll code of conduct on Monday, even as 1,376 wall paintings portraying the AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa and leaders of other political parties had been removed.
The control room had started functioning at the Collectorate from March 4 itself, after MCC came into force with the Election Commission announcing the Assembly polls schedule on March 4. While on March 5, they received ten complaints, the following day another five complaints of MCC violations were lodged, official sources said.
Within three days, the control room had received more than 15 complaints from various political parties about the Chief Minister J. Jayalalithas’s photographs still remaining at the premises of ‘Amma unavagam’, ‘Pasumai Marundhagam’, and ‘Pasumai angadis’ in areas within a 10-km radius from the city. The Coimbatore district collector, Archana Patnaik, acting on the complaints directed an inspection and the flying squad officials removed the pictures of the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, more than 1,376 wall paintings portraying AIADMK party general secretary, Ms Jayalalithaa’s pictures and leaders of other political parties were removed in Coimbatore on Monday.
Acting on EC rules, 60 flying squads, which launched their inspection from March 4, had suggested that the district administration remove the remaining posters and paintings on roads and residential areas. As per the orders of the district collector Ms Archana Patnaik, officials launched works to paint over political portraits throughout the city and rural areas.
Areas under Coimbatore district, corporation, town panchayats, village panchayats and rural areas were inspected, and 101 wall paintings, 740 posters and 535 banners removed from Ukkadam, Sungam, Puliyakulam, Karmbukadai, Kuniyamuthoor, Kinathukadavu, Pollachi and Singanallur areas. Of them, 90 per cent of the posters belong to the AIDMK party outfits.
A huge 10-ft sheet metal banner conveying birthday wishes to Ms Jayalalithaa remained till Monday evening near Aathupalam-Noyal bridge tollgate.
Officials have so far failed to notice it at a main junction where buses and other vehicles from Kerala, Pollachi and Palani enter Coimbatore city, but would be removed soon.
