Remove posters pasted by LB poll candidates, initiate action: HC tells SEC

Observing that pasting posters on walls and other materials in public places could not be allowed, the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the State Election Commission and Greater Chennai Corporation to remove all the posters affixed by the candidates for the urban local body polls in Chennai city.

“No candidate is allowed to paste posters in public places. If any such illegalities are found, the violators shall be prosecuted,” the first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy observed.

The bench made this observation on hearing a plea by an AIADMK candidate named P Arumugam alias Chinnayan who is contesting in ward 117 of the GCC.

The petitioner sought direction to the SEC to conduct a free and fair election with uninterrupted and sufficient police security.

The petitioner alleged that the ruling party members are tearing his posters and pasting their posters in the same place. “I had lodged a complaint before the police against the irregularities of the DMK man. However, the police department is not initiating any action against the ruling party people,” the petitioner argued.

“The TNSEC and Chennai Corporation is directed to remove posters affixed by the candidates in public places. The respondents shall collect the recover costs from the offenders,” the bench noted.

On recording the submissions, the bench expressed its dissatisfaction with pasting posters by candidates for this LB polls.

The HC also asked the state to file a detailed action take report against the illegal posters and details of the offenders who pasted the posters. “If anyone continues to paste posters, contempt procedures will be initiated against such people,” the HC opined.

The matter has been adjourned to February 21, 2022.