Election campaign materials litter Kochi despite government circular, High Court directive

A government circular directing that election campaign materials be removed by candidates and political parties immediately after voting and handed over to the Haritha Karma Sena with the prescribed user fee stands violated in several places across Ernakulam district, including the Kochi Corporation limits.

The circular, issued by the Local Self-Government department (LSGD) on October 31, stated that if candidates and parties failed to comply, secretaries of local bodies should remove the campaign materials and hand them over to agencies such as the Clean Kerala Company for recycling within five days of polling, the cost for the same shall be collected from the candidates concerned and legal action initiated.

The Kerala High Court had also directed that publicity materials—including posters, flags, festoons and banners—that deface public spaces should be removed forthwith. The court further ordered that cases be registered against the parties concerned in addition to imposing fines. It also instructed the police, the Kerala State Electricity Board and the telecom authorities to assist the LSGD in removing materials disfiguring public spaces. This followed a request from the association of local body secretaries. The police have already begun registering First Information Reports in this regard.

Notices to candidates

“We have issued directions to candidates and political parties to comply with the circular and the High Court order without fail. Moreover, enforcement squads at the local body level have been instructed to remove election campaign materials that come to their notice and issue notices to the candidates concerned complete with the fee to be paid. We conduct review meetings at least once every fortnight to monitor the implementation of the court order. The next meeting will be held after the swearing-in ceremony of elected representatives of local bodies next week,” said a senior LSGD official.

The official clarified that campaign materials displayed on private properties, such as the compound walls of individual households, would not be removed by enforcement squads unless the affected property owners explicitly lodge complaints stating that their premises were used without permission. The LSGD has already received a few such complaints.