GHMC polls: Special permission for TRS hoardings? SEC denies

Hyderabad: Even as political parties in the city gear-up for campaigning ahead of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, it is in fact the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s (TRS) banners and posters that are mostly splashed across Hyderabad. This, in spite of the law being clear that it is against the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).  

The Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) on Tuesday announced that the GHMC elections are scheduled to be held from December 1 to 6. Since the announcement, and the MCC (rules for political parties and candidates) coming into effect, a staggering 10,000 plus banners and posters have been taken down across Hyderabad, with most belonging to the TRS. 

GHMC Code of Conduct Officer Vishwajit Kampati said that till date 10777 hoardings, posters, banners and flexis have been removed, as they were in violation of the MCC. However, scores of political banners and flexis can still be seen in Hyderabad. It may be recalled that during the 2018 state assembly elections, a similar situation had transpired, wherein the banners and hoardings of the ruling TRS were plastered literally everywhere due to a loophole. 

In the 2018 elections, a private person had leased out hoardings and used it to display pictures and banners of the TRS. The main opposition Congress then had also complained to the Election Commission of India then about the issues. When asked how the banners and posters are being allowed to be up, GHMC officials, who did not want to be named, said that the TRS party has taken “special permission” from the SEC. 

An official said on anonymity, “A special permission is known to have been granted by the SEC to the TRS party.” However, when contacted, an SEC official clarified that no permission of that sort has been given to any party, as it stands against MCC. So it is unclear under what law the “permission” as mentioned by the GHMC, was given.