Election posters, banners removed from Patna airport

Patna: All poll banners and posters were on Thursday removed from the premises of Patna Airport here, a day after grand alliance moved Election Commission for removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah's posters, saying they are "flagrant violation of norms".

"All election banners and posters have been removed from the premises," Deputy General Manager, Patna Airport N K Chaudhary told PTI. He said the action was taken in accordance to the rules.

But, Bihar Election Office said it would ask the Airport authority as to why was it not followed earlier?

"We will certainly query Patna Airport authority about not following their own rules of not allowing posters and banners of elections," Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshmanan said.

Leaders of the grand alliance had yesterday petitioned the EC in Delhi seeking the removal of banners and posters of the Prime Minister and the BJP chief from the Patna airport.

A delegation comprising of K C Tyagi (JD-U), R P N Singh (Congress), Manoj Jha (RJD) alongwith eminent lawyer K T S Tulsi submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner giving details of such posters and banners carrying the pictures of BJP leaders and its election symbol at the airport.

With the elections in the progress in Bihar, Airport and Railway stations had become happy hunting ground for the political leaders for campaigning.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also on many occasions pointed to the misuse of Airport, Railway stations and Petrol pumps by NDA leaders for poll campaign.