Kolkata: Election Commission (EC) has directed Coal India Limited to remove its hoarding displaying Union Coal Minister Mamata Banerjee on the Eastern metropolitan bypass in the city following complaints regarding violation of the Code of Conduct.

West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer Basudev Bandopadhyay told reporters today (March 15, 2004) that Coal India had earlier sought advice of the Election Commission what to do with the hoarding in view of complaints.

Asked whether the city Mayor Subrata Mukherjee's announcement of introducing trade licence for the sex workers after the Lok Sabha polls was violative of the Code of Conduct, the CEO said he had taken note of the reports in the dailies, and would soon write to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Commissioner for details in this regard.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Gopalaswamy and B V Tandon will arrive tomorrow, a day ahead of the visit of the Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishnamurthy to supervise the poll preparedness of the State.

Bandopadhyay said that after holding meetings with the nine political party representatives, district election officials and the chief secretary, Krishnamurthy would meet mediapersons at Raj Bhavan in the evening.