The Election Commission of India (ECI) in a letter to Chief Electoral Officer, NCT of Delhi, on Tuesday said it has been receiving representations from various stakeholders, including political parties, regarding election hoardings at authorised/unauthorised sites in the NCT of Delhi, which do not bear on its face the names and addresses of the printer and the publisher thereof, violating the electoral laws and provisions of Model Code of Conduct.
“As NCT of Delhi has entered into campaign period in connection with ongoing General Election to Lok Sabha, 2024, there may be deliberate attempts in the field to put/circulate anonymous handbills/pamphlets/hoardings at authorized/unauthorized sites, which may have potential to vitiate the electoral atmosphere and negatively impact the campaign discourse,” read the letter.
Keeping in view the position stated above, all the concerned officers/officials/authorities, dealing with the subject, should once again be sensitised to be more vigilant to ensure that no campaign material, as mentioned above, without having the names and addresses of the printer and publisher is circulated/fixed in the area/at the authorised/unauthorised sites, in violation of the norms prescribed by law and the Commission’s instructions referred to above, the poll panel said.
“It is the responsibility of the respective Assistant Returning Officer/Returning Officer of the Constituency to ensure that there is no occurrence of the incidence mentioned above and strict and swift action is taken to take down/confiscate such election material in accordance with the law and the Commission’s instructions. The relevant municipal and police authorities may also be sensitized about the same,” said the ECI.