Day after municipal elections, Gurugram littered with banners

A day after the municipal elections in Gurugram, the city remained littered with campaign posters, banners, and stickers, turning public spaces, markets, and even private homes into an eyesore. Frustrated by the mess, residents are now demanding that either the contesting candidates or the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) take up the responsibility of cleaning up the city.

From main roads and street corners to residential colonies and commercial areas, election material continued to hang from walls, electricity poles, and even trees. In several areas, campaign posters were pasted on private properties without consent, leaving homeowners scrambling to remove them.

“The elections are over, but the mess left behind is a clear violation of civic norms. Candidates and their teams should be held accountable for cleaning up the very spaces that they used to seek votes,” said Vinod Tayal, a resident of DLF Phase 2.

MCG officials have acknowledged the issue and assured swift action. MCG commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg said, “The civic body has already directed teams to begin removing election materials from public spaces. Candidates and their political parties are expected to take responsibility for removing posters and banners. If they fail to do so, penalties will be imposed as per the Haryana Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.”

According to officials, special sanitation drives will be conducted in major areas, including MG Road, Sohna Road, Sector 29, Sadar Bazar, and key residential sectors, to remove leftover election material.

MCG has also urged residents to report defaced properties and public spaces so that cleaning teams can prioritise affected areas.

Local environmentalists have also voiced concerns over the adverse impact of plastic-based banners and stickers. “These material will eventually end up in landfills, adding to the city’s waste burden. Political parties should switch to eco-friendly campaign material and ensure proper disposal,” said Vaishali Rana , a city-based environmentalist.

Ruchika Sethi Takkar, a member of advocacy group Citizens for Clean Air, criticised the blatant defacement of public property by election candidates, calling it a contradiction to their claims of public service.

”The defacement of public property by election candidates is a stark contradiction to their professed commitment to public welfare. At a time when Gurugram is grappling with a crippling solid waste crisis and recurring waste burning incidents, the reckless use of non-biodegradable campaign materials exposes their lack of genuine concern for their voters’ well-being. Wasn’t it imperative that candidates adopted digitally-driven campaign strategies to align their actions with their promises and be in sync with ground realities?” she said.

While clean-up efforts are set to begin, residents say the issue highlights the need for stricter regulations on campaign material, ensuring that the city doesn’t turn into a visual dumping ground after every election.