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RJD, BJP fined for violation of poll code

By Our Special Correspondent

PATNA, JAN. 6. The Railway authorities have slapped penalties on the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Lok Janshakti Party for defacing its property in Patna and Hajipur in violation of the model code of conduct for elections.

The RJD has been asked to pay Rs. 28,000, while the fine on the BJP and the LJP is Rs. 2,000 each, which they have been directed to pay at the zonal office of the East Central Railway, Hajipur, by January 13.

The ECR, in its notice to the State RJD chief, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, said that the Patna railway station authorities incurred expenses of Rs. 15,000 for removing banner, posters and hoardings which the party had put up for its December 23 rally, which, however, had been postponed. The Hajipur railway station spent Rs. 13,000 on the clean-up operation.

Similarly, the BJP and the LJP were notified of the expenses incurred at the two stations to remove their hoardings in connection with their rallies held in December and November.

The fines have been imposed in the light of the directives issued by the Election Commission on the basis of the report of its adviser, K.J. Rao.

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