ECI suspends a sector officer in Tripura for illegally defacing PM Modi's photo

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao said after receiving the complaint from the ruling BJP, the South Tripura District Magistrate was directed to conduct an inquiry into the allegation.

Followed by the preliminary investigation, DM served show cause to the accused Superintendent of Fisheries Ajoy Das, Department a sector officer of Sabroom assembly constituency.

"Das failed to reply to the notice properly for the violation of model election code and he is, therefore, to be put under suspension and initiate process for disciplinary proceedings as per the provision," the order reads adding that as a Sector Officer, he acted beyond the provision of the election rule.

According to a report, after the announcement of the election, the administration has begun removing all the personalized and gratifying campaign materials from the public spaces, which were considered to be influencing the voters’ choice. In the case of Sabroom, the hired labourers defaced a poster of the PM on private property that irked the ruling BJP.

"As per the direction, sector officers have to accompany the labourers for removing the posters, festoons, and the painting.

"Wherever possible such campaign materials are to be lifted or cleaned the public spaces and places where cleaning or lifting is not at all possible whiteners are to be used to cover up the influencing photographs, pictures, and texts; but in case of the particular complaints PM’s photo was defaced on private property," the election officials said.

Meanwhile, BJP alleged that Das had gone to a shop and covered the PM's face with black ink on the poster illegally.