Maharashtra elections: Poll codes have no effect on banner-happy parties

Putting up political banners is prohibited when the election code of conduct is in force, but it seems political parties are least concerned about the restriction. The BMC removed 351 political banners and 111 political boards in the city last month.

The civic body pulled down 3,628 illegal banners, posters and boards across Mumbai last month. Even though about 2,200 of them came under the religious and social category, activists say they were an apt, yet indirect way that politicians exploited ahead of the assembly elections.

Nikhil Desai, a civic activist, said, "These days, politicians try to promote themselves even through religious posters. A poster showing a small Ganpati picture surrounded by huge photos of politicians is categorized as a religious poster. There are several such hoardings and banners in my ward."

This apart, the BMC has also taken off 107 commercial banners, one commercial board and 21 commercial posters. R-central, M-east and L-wards are some of the wards which saw the maximum number of unauthorised hoardings. However, the civic body is yet to prosecute the offenders.

Sharad Bande, licence superintendent of BMC, agreed that many political banners and religious ones, featuring politicians, were put up even though the poll codes are in force. "We had given permissions to certain Navratri mandals to put up posters for nine days. We will check if they have removed those banners and posters."

He added, "Based on the cases, we will soon start prosecuting the violators."