from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, May 12: Congress in Goa has demanded to allow hoardings and string banners for the June two Goa legislative assembly elections.

"Such severe restrictions which have been imposed, will not only be against the spirit of ideal electoral mechanism but, the same may also send wrong signal to the outside world that in India electoral freedom is restricted," stated All India Congress Committee secretary Shantaram Naik.

Naik, who is camping in Goa, has put forth the demand before chief electoral officer Ramesh Negi.

The chief electoral officer, acting on central election commission's directions, had banned hoardings, posters and banners during electioneering in Goa as it is prohibited under Goa Defacement of Property Act.

"Hoarding and stringing of banners, that too, for a period of 20 days cannot be construed as defacement in any circumstances as compared to pasting of posters or pamphlets, which may be considered as causing defacement. Section 3 of the act does not by any yardstick prohibit putting up of hoardings or banners as, neither they are pasted nor they can be brought under the definition of 'defacing',” Naik, a practising lawyer, stated.

Naik said that there is confusion in the mind of political parties, who are into the election mode.

“All the political parties will come together and meet central election commission’s officials to present the case,” Naik added.

Chief electoral officer Negi, earlier this week, had made it clear that the political parties would not be allowed to install hoardings, banners or posters which defaces aesthetic appearance of Goa. The election officials are citing local Defacement of Property Act, which discourages such erections even in private properties, without permission of the state authorities.