With the Delhi elections over a month away, posters and graffiti by political parties and their supporters have begun cropping up on public property and civic infrastructure - in violation of the law. The state election commission has so far received over 3,000 complaints of defacement since the model code of conduct came into effect on 5 October and now will employ flying squads to check the menace.
‘We have received 3,052 complaints of defacement of public property so far,’ a Delhi state election commission official said.
The putting up of posters or writing on walls goes against the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007. The act carries a fine of Rs 50,000 or one year imprisonment. But no one has been arrested so far.
‘We get complaints of posters, pamphlets and wall writings defacing roadside walls, school walls, flyovers, and other public areas. These are not just limited to crowded areas like Kashmere Gate and Paharganj, but also in areas like ITO, Civil Lines and even outside government offices,’ said the official. He felt the situation would ‘prevail for a while and when the election date nears the party workers will abstain from indulging in such activities.’
‘Our effort is to protect monuments and public places from defacement in all the 70 constituencies,’ the official added. ‘In order to keep vigil over such violations we have constituted a group of three flying squads, one executive magistrate, one supervisor of municipal corporation of Delhi, four policemen and one video grapher in all the 70 constituencies,’ he said.
‘We have received 3,052 complaints of defacement of public property so far,’ a Delhi state election commission official said.
The putting up of posters or writing on walls goes against the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007. The act carries a fine of Rs 50,000 or one year imprisonment. But no one has been arrested so far.
‘We get complaints of posters, pamphlets and wall writings defacing roadside walls, school walls, flyovers, and other public areas. These are not just limited to crowded areas like Kashmere Gate and Paharganj, but also in areas like ITO, Civil Lines and even outside government offices,’ said the official. He felt the situation would ‘prevail for a while and when the election date nears the party workers will abstain from indulging in such activities.’
‘Our effort is to protect monuments and public places from defacement in all the 70 constituencies,’ the official added. ‘In order to keep vigil over such violations we have constituted a group of three flying squads, one executive magistrate, one supervisor of municipal corporation of Delhi, four policemen and one video grapher in all the 70 constituencies,’ he said.