GHMC removes 8,000 posters, banners

Hyderabad: More than 8,000 posters and banners have been dropped in Hyderabad district as part of the Election Code of Conduct in the wake of 2 Lok Sabha polls, District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner M Dana Kishore speaking to the media, said, "In addition, 2,900 wreaths from walls were removed along with 5,737 banners, flex cards and posters were removed from government offices, buildings and prisons in the city and 2,265 on private property.

The Commissioner said that the police department intercepted and apprehended four persons who are carrying illegal money at four different places in the limits of Kachiguda and Sultan Bazar police stations on Friday.

They seized total cash worth Rs 90 lakh, three cash counting machines, four bikes and other incriminating materials from their possession and have been handed over to the Income Tax Department, he added.

Dana Kishore said that intelligence teams have already been set up to strictly implement the electoral code of conduct in the city.

WHAT THE CODE SAYS

The main points of the code of conduct are:

• Government bodies are not to participate in any recruitment process during the electoral process.
• The contesting candidates and their campaigners must respect the home life of their rivals and should not disturb them by holding road shows or demonstrations in front of their houses. The code tells the candidates to keep it.
• The election campaign rallies and road shows must not hinder the road traffic.
• Candidates are asked to refrain from distributing liquor to voters. It is a widely known fact in India that during election campaigning, liquor may be distributed to the voters.
• The election code in force hinders the government or ruling party leaders from launching new welfare programmes like the construction of roads, provision of drinking water facilities etc. or any ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
• The code instructs that public spaces like meeting grounds, helipads, government guest houses, and bungalows should be equally shared among the contesting candidates. These public spaces should not be monopolized by a few candidates.
• On polling day, all party candidates should cooperate with the poll-duty officials at the voting booths for an orderly voting process. Candidates should not display their election symbols near and around the poll booths on the polling day. No one should enter the booths without a valid pass from the Election Commission.
• There will be poll observers to whom any complaints can be reported or submitted.
• The ruling party should not use its seat of power for campaign purposes.
• The ruling party ministers should not make any ad-hoc appointment of officials, which may influence the voters in favor of the party in power.
• Before using loudspeakers during their poll campaigning, candidates and political parties must obtain permission or license from the local authorities. The candidates should inform the local police for conducting election rallies to enable the police authorities to make required security arrangements.