Date:31/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/31/stories/2006033117990300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Corporation ultimatum to political parties on graffiti

Staff Reporter

`Clean up or pay up' civic body says in toughly-worded warning

CHENNAI: Chennai Corporation has issued a "clean up or pay up" ultimatum to political parties, asking them to remove political graffiti off private buildings.

In a statement on Wednesday, the civic agency recalled Election Commission's orders on the issue and added that political messages would not be allowed on private buildings under the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of disfigurement) Act, 1959.

Several parties had put up political messages on public and private buildings ahead of the Assembly polls on May 8. Chennai Corporation launched a drive to remove political graffiti off public buildings earlier this month and had completed it recently.

Now it is turning attention on private buildings based on observations of Election Commission officials who visited the city this week.

Deadline set

The Corporation has stated that if messages existed beyond Sunday, it would clean them up and charge the bill on the respective political candidates as part of their election expense.

The Election Commission has already appealed to all candidates to voluntarily remove the messages.

Parties' concern

Some political party workers have expressed concern over the move.

"Several persons are thinking about contesting elections for the first time. But if advertisement is not allowed on private walls, the well- known politicians will gain an undue advantage," a political worker said.