The Election Commission today directed the authorities to take steps to immediately remove, cover or paint all sign boards put up in connection with the Prime Minsiter's Quadrilateral National Highway project and also those pertaining to MPs and MLAs Local Area Development Fund projects.
Officials of National Highway, Public Works, Revenue Department and Deputy Commissioners have been asked to either remove these sign boards, cover it up or paint them immediately, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Dasgupta told reporters here.
Commenting on the arguments that sign boards erected at bus shelters and other places had been contributed by MPs and MLAs out of their Local Area Development Fund, he said "it is out of the tax payers' money. It is not correct to say it is donated by MPs and MLAs".
Dasgupta said the Commission also refused permission to IAF for its proposed recruitment drive planned at Mysore from March 26 to April two.
The Commission rejected clearance sought by the Defence Ministry for IAF's recruitment as, it said, it was violative of model code of conduct and suggested that it could go ahead after completion of election process, he said.
Dasgupta said six persons who had contested the last Lok Sabha elections and 19 from Assembly had been disqualified from contesting as they had failed to file returns on electoral expenses incurred.
{{/usCountry}}Dasgupta said six persons who had contested the last Lok Sabha elections and 19 from Assembly had been disqualified from contesting as they had failed to file returns on electoral expenses incurred.
{{/usCountry}}Majority of those disqualified were independents, he said.