Chennai, March 16 Officials removed posters, banners, and wall advertisements of political parties in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu on Monday as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect following the announcement of the schedule for the 2026 Assembly elections.
In Madurai, vehicles belonging to flying squads, surveillance teams, and static monitoring teams were fitted with GPS devices and were deployed to intensify vigilance.
Election control rooms have been established in the district headquarters, an official said.
Civic body workers in Greater Chennai Corporation, Chengalpattu, Tenkasi, Thanjavur, and other parts of the state removed posters, name boards, and political party flags from public places as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect on March 15.
In Kanyakumari, bordering Kerala, the police and paramilitary forces intensified vigilance and initiated thorough vehicle checks at the border check posts, the official said.
At Chengalpattu, the police and election commission's flying squads checked vehicles for cash or articles meant to influence voters.
Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik has appealed to the public, especially traders, to carry "valid" documents to prove their ownership and avoid confiscation of cash.
"The officials will not seize the money if the traders or the public submit valid documents claiming ownership," the CEO told reporters here.