Banners erected in unauthorised areas are also being targeted in the crackdown
Officials are removing what they say are unsightly posters put up by some candidates for the District Council elections.
The action is being taken on a territory-wide basis under guidelines laid down by Team Clean, established to spruce up Hong Kong during the Sars outbreak. When formed during the crisis, one of Team Clean's specific targets was unauthorised posters.
But under various regulations governing elections, candidates are permitted to put up notices. Sources say civil servants are drawing a fine line between striving to keep the city clean and not restricting candidates from spreading their messages.
In Kowloon City, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department staff have carried out three clearance operations since October 30 to remove unauthorised election notices. These included banners, polythene boards, vertical flags and posters.
In Central and Western District, four candidates were asked to take down banners and posters put up at unauthorised locations. In Kwai Tsing, there have been 16 complaints - 12 of the offending notices were taken down by candidates and the other four were removed by Housing Department staff.
The situation is made complicated because under rules issued by the Election Affairs Commission, a candidate with written permission or authorisation can display election advertisements and posters on government or private property.