Highways and replaced the space with prohibition slogans. In all, the public relations department had installed 64 hoardings of 10X20 feet size in 10 districts, barring snow-covered tribal districts of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. By this evening, all hoardings in Solan, Shimla, Bilaspur, Kullu and Kangra were

either removed or replaced with social messages, mainly regarding total prohibition.

Anil Khachi, state’s Chief Electoral Officer, when contacted, said, “I hope by tomorrow, I will be able to get a compliance report on the EC’s order in this regard.” The only districts left include Una, Sirmaur, Chamba, Hamirpur and Mandi. Teams set up by the PR department have already reached these districts, confirmed J.R. Katwal, CM’s Special Secretary and Director, Public Relations.

Katwal said, “Immediately after announcement of the elections, I had written to all district public relation officers, advising them to get development hoardings removed or replaced by social messages. The flex sheets displayed at vantage points in some towns and paid advertisements put up on the local cable TV networks in districts were also dropped.”