Photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on hoardings at petrol pumps in poll-bound Goa and on certificates issued by oil companies in Uttarakhand are violative of the Model Code, the Election Commission has maintained.
In a letter to Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha, the Election Commission said it had received complaints about hoardings with photographs of the Prime Minister being displayed at petrol pumps in poll-bound Goa. It also referred to a news story in a Hindi daily that certificates with the photos of the Prime Minister were being distributed by oil companies to lPG consumers who have surrendered gas subsidy in Uttarakhand.
The Commission has asked the Cabinet Secretary to ensure compliance of its instructions during elections.
“This is not permissible under Model Code of Conduct and Election Commission instructions” (issued after schedule for Assembly polls to Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur was announced on January 4), the letter said. The Commission has requested Sinha to ensure that its instructions “are brought to the notice of all concerned for strict compliance in letter and spirit.”
The ECI had earlier sent a notification to all states to clear the photos of Political leaders from Hoardings before the polls. It said that the poll machinery in the five poll-bound states has to clear or cover the political leader’s photos on all the Hoardings and advertisements.