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The Kochi Corporation connected Wednesday (March 11, 2026) began removing boards and banners installed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) crossed Kochi metropolis publicising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.
Health and gross squads of the civic assemblage swung into enactment adjacent earlier Mr. Modi landed successful Kochi for a bid of programmes, including the ceremonial motorboat of the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) run for the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Mayor V.K. Minimol said the determination was “not politically motivated” but carried retired “strictly successful compliance with Kerala High Court directions.”
The tribunal has repeatedly pulled up the Corporation for failing to forestall defacement of nationalist spaces by mode of boards, flags, hoardings, and different publicity materials.
“The amicus curiae appointed by the High Court has been inspecting the metropolis since morning, photographing publicity materials to beryllium removed. This has thing to bash with politics. In fact, during Rahul Gandhi’s sojourn earlier this year, the Corporation fined the Congress ₹5.90 lakh aft dismantling its publicity materials from nationalist spaces,” she said.
Sudha Dileepkumar, BJP’s parliamentary enactment person successful the Corporation, who was astatine the Kaloor International Stadium for Mr. Modi’s function, said she was unaware of the removal drive.
Last month, the Corporation Secretary had issued a directive imposing a good of ₹5,000 for each unauthorised installation, including flex boards, banners, flags, and hoardings, and warned that offenders could look cases. The bid reiterated that each unauthorised publicity materials erected successful nationalist spaces and on roads would beryllium removed, and fines imposed, successful enactment with the High Court’s November 19, 2025 directive. The tribunal had granted 2 weeks’ clip to secretaries of each section bodies successful the State to wide specified installations and initiate enactment against those responsible. It besides instructed the State Election Commission and District Election Officers to show compliance wrong their jurisdictions.
In January, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation had faced crisp disapproval from the tribunal for its alleged nonaccomplishment to forestall the proliferation of flex boards and banners crossed footpaths successful the capital.
