The administration has announced a crackdown on illegal banners, hoardings and other publicity material in public spaces, including those put up by political parties.
Although orders by the administration have been issued from time to time invoking the powers conferred under Section 4 of the Puducherry Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 2000), the latest order by V. Candavelou, Chief Electoral Officer, assumes special significance in Puducherry in the wake of the Supreme Court stipulating that the local body elections be notified once delimitation is completed.
The court observed that the “Puducherry Village and Panchayat Act has provisions that are reflective of reservation” and hence refused to brook any delay in the conduct of local body elections.
The order by the CEO cites the Election Commission of India’s directions to all political parties/candidates/office establishments to strictly adhere to a 2014 order stipulating “no defacement of open and public property by avoiding the use of plastic/polythene and similar non-biodegradable material for preparation of campaign material/publicity material and use of eco-friendly substances for election campaign mandatory.”
Directive to officials
The CEO has directed the Commissioners of all Municipalities/Commune Panchayats to review the permission granted to persons for erecting banners and signboards and ordered removal all the cut-outs/banners and signboards erected without permission. “They are directed to issue notice to those persons who had erected unauthorised cut-outs/banners/hoardings/signboards and to remove them at their own costs within seven days, failing which they shall be removed and such cost of removal shall be recovered from those persons”, a Government Order said.
The move aims at ensuring the disposal of “campaign material used by the candidates/political parties as per the provisions of Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 and Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 and to recover the cost of such disposal from the candidates/political parties”.
“Certain areas must be demarcated by every municipal body/Commune Panchayat and specifically designated for graffiti, wall writing, pasting of posters or display of cut-outs and such area shall be allowed to be used in an equitable manner. It is the responsibility of the parties/candidates to remove the material after election. Excepting the commercial places made available by advertisers and the designated places, no pasting or sticking of the material on any open place or any public property,” the order said.
