‘Cover lotus references in cityschools that are polling stations’

An election observer on Thursday asked for ‘Rashtriya Phool - Kamal (national flower - lotus)’ embossed on a school building wall in West Delhi to be covered as it is a violation of the model code of conduct. Lotus is the BJP’s election symbol.

A police officer said that the observer has asked them to identify such walls in schools that are listed as polling stations in Delhi.

During a visit to polling stations, the election observer found that in several schools information such as national bird, national animal among other things were mentioned on the walls. “We have been instructed to cover the word ‘Kamal’ painted/embossed on the walls in schools where polling will be held on May 12. We are in the process of identifying such walls and they will be covered with the help of the district administration,” said the police officer.

The election observer has also asked for photos of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and B.R. Ambedkar to be covered in schools listed as polling stations.

Reacting to the observer’s objection, a schoolteacher said: “There are so many parties and each of them has an election symbol that represents something that we use in schools. It doesn’t mean they start covering everything.”

In 2012, the Election Commission had ordered to cover up the statues of then U.P. Chief Minister Mayawati and elephant, the symbol of her Bahujan Samaj Party, ahead of the Assembly polls. The same have not been covered this time.