Raiganj, March 13: A district administration team tasked with enforcing the model code of conduct in town faced charges from Trinamul for "insulting the chief minister" and being "politically-motivated" after a picture of Mamata Banerjee on a banner was first painted white and later torn.

The flex had been put up near the Rabindra Bhavan opposite Raiganj railway station. The auditorium was inaugurated by the chief minister from Calcutta last month.

According to a source in the state election commission, after the model code of conduct is in force, government advertisements with names or pictures of candidates are not allowed to be displayed. "The commission will not allow the use of government advertisements, hoardings and banners for campaigning by political personalities currently in the government. The instructions have been sent to the district administrations," he said.

Sources in the district administration said officials entrusted with enforcing the model code of conduct had been going around the district and banners and posters are either being removed or covered.

On Saturday, a team accompanied by local police and paramilitary forces arrived at Rabindra Bhavan and found a flex with a photo of Mamata Banerjee that said the facility had been constructed with funds from the north Bengal development department.

"It was around 5pm on Saturday that the team arrived. Instead of taking down the flex, the team members painted the chief minister's photo in white and left," said a source.

This morning, however, the flex was seen lying torn.

An employee of Rabindra Bhavan said a senior official of the district administration had called him up and instructed him to tear off the flex.

Trinamul district president Amal Acharjee said the move was an insult to the chief minister. "I have been involved with the poll process for a long time and I am aware of the rules. The district administration has used it. First, they painted the photo and then tore it to shreds. This is a direct insult to the chief minister and the state government. We condemn this. We feel that there is a deep-rooted conspiracy. We suspect that it was politically motivated and we doubt the impartiality of the district election machinery. I have written to the chief electoral officer and our party high command about this," he said.

A source in the administration said all posters and signboards with names and photos of leaders with regards to ongoing and recently-finished projects have to be removed. "Two teams under the subdivisional officer concerned has been formed. They are either painting over the signs and posters or removing them."

Subdivisional officer of Raiganj, T.N. Sherpa, said the board should have been removed. "Our squad first painted the photo and left," he said.