Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday asked all petrol pump dealers and other agencies to remove hoardings advertising central government schemes that carry photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the premises of the facilities within 72 hours, an official said here.
The use of the prime minister's photograph in such hoardings violates the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the official of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said on Wednesday.
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Earlier, a Trinamool Congress delegation had met ECI officials to complain that the use of PM Modi's photographs in hoardings informing people of various central schemes violates the poll code.
The ruling party in West Bengal termed it as a "blatant misuse of official machinery" and asked Election Commission to intervene seeking the removal of hoardings advertising central government schemes with images of PM Modi at petrol pumps.
State minister Firhad Hakim after meeting the EC officials said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi happens to be the star campaigner of the BJP in this assembly elections. As a politician, he is seeking support for his party during rallies. In this situation, using his photo in vaccination certificates is akin to influencing voters and violates the model code of conduct".
"We have sought the EC's intervention to remove his photo in hoardings promoting central schemes at petrol pumps," he added.
The state assembly election will be held for all 294 seats wherein the voting will take place in 1,01,916 polling stations all over West Bengal. After the announcement on February 26, the Model Code of Conduct was imposed with immediate effect.
(With Agency Inputs)