EC bans political graffiti in Siliguri

Siliguri, Mar 26 (ANI): The Election Commission has imposed a ban on wall graffiti for campaigning.

After receiving complaints from the public regarding the misuse of walls for campaigning, an order was issued by the Election Commission under the Municipal and Panchayat Act 2006.

Under this act, no political party is allowed to write campaigns on the walls of government buildings.

"Keeping in view the election guidelines and seeing the violation of election rules, we have filed an FIR six political parties in Siliguri station and two political parties in Pradahan Nagar station," said Sarad Divedi, Sub-Divisional Officer, Siliguri.

Unhappy with the Election Commissions order, political parties feel the order will prevent them from reaching out to the people during the elections.

"With this type of ban, I think they are trying to curtail the democratic rights of the people who want to express their thoughts through wall graffiti. So I think this is not fair from their part because this is also one way to express the thoughts of the people," said Sankar Ghosh, a Communist Party India- Marxist (CPM) leader.

Some political parties do agree that in view of the Election Commissions order, they have to abide by it. (ANI)