leaders from the grand alliance in Bihar on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to order the removal of banners and posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah from Patna airport
and Patna Railway Junction, saying they are “flagrant violation of norms”.
A delegation comprising of K C Tyagi (JD-U), R P N Singh (Congress), Manoj Jha (RJD) alongwith eminent lawyer K T S Tulsi submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner giving details of such posters and banners carrying the pictures of BJP leaders and its election symbol at the airport. They also pointed that advertisements issued are not being forwarded to the poll EC before their publication as per norms.
“It is thus incomprehensible and thus shocking that the Commission has refrained from giving any direction to remove the advertisements from the lok Nayak Jaya Prakash airport at Patna,” the letter said.
“The delegation told the Election Commission that the airports and railways stations have been used by the ruling party at the Centre for its propaganda in the state where assembly polls are underway,” Congress leader R P N Singh said. He said the Commission told them that no permission has been granted to put up the hoardings at government buildings including airports or railway stations.
In their letter to the EC, the delegation said that the “flagrant violation” could not have escaped the Commission’s notice on its recent Patna visit as over a dozen banners are on display inside the airport with pictures of Modi, Shah and lotus election symbol of BJP.
“Public places belonging to the Government cannot be allowed to be used and worse monopolised by the party in power,” they said.