Banners, posters missing as election fever grips Prayag

Allahabad, Apr 30 (UNI) The holy city of Prayag is in the grip of election fever but there is something missing. Those big banners, colourful posters and lengthy wall writing are not present to attract voters.

Election Commission's rigid instructions are threatening candidates from all parties.

Some candidates and parties have not digested the order yet and are getting notices from EC daily.

Polling for 11 constituencies in Allahabad is going to take place on May 3 in the sixth phase of assembly elections.

There is a neck-and-neck fight in Allahabad South, North and West constituencies. Candidates are in campaigning mood for their parties and trying to convince voters to support them at the hustings.

Number of public assemblies and press conferences are increasing day-by-day. Everything is usual, In Karchana constituency, invigilator G Bajaralingam visited different villages and took note of wall writing, posters, flags on government properties. He directed the SDM to issue notice to BSP, SP and Congress. SDM Triloki Singh has issued a notice and warned them.

In Meja, invigilator Neelkalnth Alhar visited his constituency and found two candidates guilty of wall writing. He filed a case against contempt of election ethics on both the candidates from Apna Dal and BSP.

To make voters bold and create fearless atmosphere for a free and fair election, invigilators are playing their roles well. This evidence is enough that during last election, mobile number of invigilators were not in public domain, but in current election, numbers are being published in newspapers.

Mr R N Pandey, a BSNL employee, says such steps of Election Commission are practical and in public interest. ''Now we do not have to think again and again for our candidate. They are not present to misguide us with their beautiful and colouful posters and marvellous banners.'' Mrs Lalmani, a house wife from Sulem Sarai area seems glad with this decision. She says last time her ''boundary wall got written with some slogans of a party and she had to get it whitewashed again. The worst thing is that you support someone else and in morning, you get your wall full of another name that you do not support,'' she adds.

Prashant, an Engineering student in IERT College believes that this is a bold and right step of Election Commission. ''Students used to get late due to poster campaigns and processions,'' he said.

Patients used to get late to reach hospitals and ''there was senseless campaigning by posters and banners because when we decide to vote for someone, we just see his or her previous track record and qualifications and the performance of his or her party not their numbers of posters, banners and wall writings,'' he added.

By and large, the people seem happy with the EC directives, that seek to reform the electoral process.

UNI