Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation removed over 5,251 advertisements across civic areas for violation of Model Code of Conduct since the assembly polls were announced on Oct 15. According to PMC officials, they took action against these materials as they were causing a breach of conduct. As per the citizens, the PMC should take such action frequently and acting a few weeks ahead of elections will not be a deterrent.
"The directives of the Election Commission are to be followed. The administration has carried out the drives at different ward offices. The drives will continue in the days to come," said Prashant Thombare, head of PMC's sky sign department.
The civic officials said materials like wall paintings, posters, cutouts, hoardings banners, and flags have been removed. The civic data shows as many as 1,707 materials were removed on Wednesday, while 1,865 materials were razed on Thursday. The civic staff removed 1,679 illegal materials on Friday as well.
As per the civic officials, the Election Commission has given clear guidelines about putting advertising materials ahead of polls. The guidelines say, "No political party or candidate shall permit its or his followers to make use of any individual's land, building, compound wall etc., without his permission for erecting flag-staffs, suspending banners, pasting notices, writing slogans, etc.
" "There is a possibility that most of these advertising materials were placed without proper permissions. They are not only causing .