Code of Conduct: EC Asks Petrol Pumps to Remove Hoardings With PM Modi’s Photos Within 72 Hours

The development comes hours after a Trinamool Congress delegation met ECI officials and alleged that the use of Modi's photographs in hoardings informing people of various central schemes violates the poll code.

New Delhi: As the model code of conduct is in place, the Election Commission on Wednesday night asked the petrol pump dealers and other agencies to remove hoardings advertising central government schemes that carry photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the premises of the facilities within 72 hours. Issuing an order in this regard, the EC said that the use of PM’s photo in hoardings advertising central schemes in petrol pumps violates election Model Code of Conduct.

The development comes hours after a Trinamool Congress delegation met ECI officials and alleged that the use of Modi’s photographs in hoardings informing people of various central schemes violates the poll code.

The Model Code of Conduct came into force after the ECI announced poll dates for the state on February 26.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of TMC leaders met Election Commission officials and termed it as a “blatant misuse of official machinery” and sought the intervention of the poll panel to remove hoardings advertising central government schemes with images of Modi at petrol pumps.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi happens to be the star campaigner of the BJP in this assembly elections. As a politician, he is seeking support for his party during rallies. In this situation, using his photo in vaccination certificates is akin to influencing voters and violates the model code of conduct. We have sought the EC’s intervention to remove his photo in hoardings promoting central schemes at petrol pumps,” state minister Firhad Hakim said after meeting the EC officials.

Reacting to these allegations, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh termed it as “baseless” and said the vaccination drive had started before the announcement of the election dates.

“If a government project starts before the declaration of an election, it may continue in the same form. At petrol pumps, hoardings are advertising several welfare projects of the Centre. These are put up on private land,” Ghosh said.

Elections in Bengal will be held in eight phases, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27. Votes will be counted on May 2.