MUMBAI, JULY 20: State election commissioner D K Sankaran has upheld city collector Debashish Chakravarty's action of demolishing the plaque erected on the renamed `C' Road at Churchgate because it was violative of the electoral code of conduct.Mayor Hareshwar Patil said Sankaran explained that the announcement of the finalised poll code was done at 11 am in Delhi on July 11, 1999. ``He contended that from that day itself the code came into effect, hence the renaming function was violative of it. We told him that over here none of us were aware of it, and it was thus unfair to mark the function as an election-influencing stunt,'' added Patil.Patil today led a delegation of House leaders to the EC to protest the collector's action. They reportedly told Shankaran that while the function was held at 11 am on July 11, the code of conduct took effect only from 3 pm onwards. The collector's office not only registered a poll code violation complaint to the police but also, in a parallel action on July 17,removed the plaque meant to honour Hindi litterateur PM (Nirjhar) Shukla.Shiv Sena's Digambar Kandarkar, BMC House leader, said since there was widespread confusion over the election code Sankaran has directed that a camp should be shortly conducted to clarify the same. Participants will include the assistant municipal commissioner, deputy municipal commissioner and ward officers.Patil said Sankaran clarified day-to-day affairs should continue without affecting public service. ``Everything can be done. For instance, water connections, cleaning gutters, covering potholes, or attending to matters already on schedule is alright. No new policy decisions or proposals which could influence voter behaviour should be announced,'' Patil said.Patil said the code disallows giving grants or making tall promises to the public and also forbids renaming, inauguration and foundation-laying ceremonies. It permits continuation of existing works, extension of leases or work extensions but puts a halt to newappointments, he added.
