Election season on, even the kites the people-both the young and the old-fly as part of the Basant Panchami celebration are under the eagle-eye vigilance of the election commission. The election commission put restriction on the pictures featuring in the kites. According to it, though the kites might have the pictures of the star campaigners of the competing political parties printed on them they should not have the pictures of the candidates in the fray. It was further mentioned that a candidate or his campaigners must seek prior permission from the district election officer concerned to have their pictures featuring on the kites. In case any promotional material is used on the kites the acts would be deemed as the violation of the norms the election commission has laid for the election due on February 15.
Two new methods of propagation during the election time were in vogue – one of using pictures of star campaigners on the kites and the other of releasing hot air balloons with photos of political leaders on them. Kites with Modi’s face on them are the biggest hits during this election season, claimed a kite vendor Parmod Kumar, trading from Kotwali crossing in Jwalapur. Things reach their crescendo on the day of Basant Panchami. “Youngsters are crazy over kites with Modi’s pictures on them. However, the younger kids are opting for the traditional ones,” Kumar added.
The Haridwar district magistrate SA Murugeshan said that if any of the candidates used campaigning materials on kites without taking prior consent from them the expenditure would be added to his/her account. “The basic idea is that in no way the mind of the voters should be influenced by such things,” added Murugeshan. He further said that checking activities of the candidates at all the locations, especially in remote areas, being not possible, they would act on the basis of a complaint received.