Calcutta, June 3: Mamata Banerjee wants the CPM’s billboards pulled down ? not because she thinks the blitz has left her party behind, but because they do not have the “print-line”.

The election commission today upheld the point and asked the CPM to pull down all hoardings and banners put up for the civic polls that do not mention the names of sponsors or donors.

At an all-party meeting with poll panel officials, Trinamul general secretary Mukul Roy pointed out that there were glossy CPM banners across the city that did not specify whether they had been erected by the government, the party or well-wishers. “We think this is in violation of the code of conduct. We don’t know who has put up these costly banners and hoardings. We suspect that public money is being misused,” Roy said.

Commission officials said the CPM representatives at the meeting told them that they would take up the issue with their leaders.

“A candidate cannot spend more than Re 1 per voter and the ceiling of expenditure is Rs 25,000. So, it is important that the hoardings and banners reflect this budget. If there are hoardings donated by well-wishers they must have their names printed on them,” an official said.

Police, another election official said, would be asked to identify such billboards and the candidates would be informed.

“The candidates would be asked to pull down the hoardings without the names of sponsors. If they do not correct the mistake, they will be pulled down by the police.”