Congress conference: city marred by banners, buntings

The road leading to the venue of the divisional-level conference of the Congress here today was replete with banners and buntings of party leaders, marring the cityscape and violating norms on the use of banners.

The conference was held at a private resort on the outskirts of the city, almost 10 km away. Though the ban on the use of flex and banners is not applicable beyond the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) limits, the Congress workers had erected large flexes and had tied banners along the median of the Mysuru-Hunsur Road within the MCC limits and other places in the city also.

Incidentally, the MCC had ordered a ban on the use of banners and flexes in January this year following which there was a crackdown on such practices. The ban was issued as the flexes and banners were not only an eyesore but marred the visual appeal and aesthetics of the city.

However, it was not for the first time that such a ban has been announced. The MCC periodically cracks down on such practices but it tends to re-emerge with huge bill boards of self-appointed leaders “’extending their wishes’’ to the public ahead of festivals. In many cases there are billboards of a local small-time leader-in-the-making with political ambitions being wished on his birthday by his coterie.

However, such bans tend to be effectively imposed during elections as in 2019 when the Election Commission had banned the use of huge cut outs or the election expenditure observer keeps a tab on the candidate’s spending.

When contacted, a senior official of the MCC said the ban is definitely in force even now but they issue permission, if sought, for conventions and conferences of national political parties. “But the banners and flex boards can be displayed only for 24 hours after which they will have to be removed’’, said the official. He said the dismantling of the bill boards and removal of banners and flexes will commence at night and will be clear by Sunday.