Complaints related to the violation of the model code of conduct such as defacement of private and public property, unauthorised construction of election office, and disfigurement of roads galore at the specially opened control room at the District Collectorate since it was made operational two weeks ago.
“So far, we have received around 100 complaints related to code of conduct violations. In the last two days alone, we have received around 10 complaints,” said an official at the control room. However, the official added that no serious violations, including inducement of voters by providing money or goodies, have been received.
Topping the list of complaints was defacement of public and private property, said an official with the anti-defacement squad. Complaints related to defacement of private property were received from Kadinamkulam, Neyyattinkara, Medical College, Pettah, Kazhakuttam, Nettayam, and Kanjirampara.
In all these places, supporters of political parties had either booked the boundary walls of residences and shops or had started writing campaign slogans without seeking permission from the owners.
Upon receiving the complaints, squads reached the spots and directed the political parties to erase the graffiti and, in certain cases, removed the campaign materials themselves.
Proceedings under code of conduct were not initiated as most of the defacement were done before the poll notification was issued, the official added.
The control room also received a complaint about the appearance of derogatory posters against Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor on the stretch from the Nettayam junction to Kanjirampara.
The posters were removed after they were brought to the notice of the defacement squad, the official added.
The District Election Office intervened to stop distribution of turkey poults by the Vembayam panchayat.
A campaign vehicle of the Aam Admi Party was seized at Kazhakuttam and was handed over to the local police for not securing prior permission. The political parties should get prior permission for using vehicles for canvassing, the official said.
Lottery adMeanwhile, the Media Certification Monitoring Committee has taken note of the Karunya lottery advertisement that appeared in the media after poll notification. “We have send reports to the District Collector and Election Observers about the advertisement related to the lottery for further course of action,” said an official with the Committee.
About instances of paid news, the official said on a daily basis at least three to four reports are send to the District Collector and Election Observers for scrutiny of news items that have elements of paid news in it.
