Guwahati: Amid the imposition of the model code of conduct, the Election Commission of India on Wednesday directed all the petrol pumps to remove hoardings carrying photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in all the poll-bound states within the next 72 hours.

“Use of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photo in hoardings advertising central schemes in petrol pumps violates election Model code of conduct,” said an ECI official.

The Election Commission had imposed Model code of conduct in poll bound states from February 26, 2021.

In Assam, the 2021 Legislative Assembly election is scheduled to be held from March 27 to April 6 in three phases.

The Election Commission of India on Tuesday had already issued the notification for the first phase of the state polls, paving the way for the process of filing nomination papers by candidates.

The poll panel has fixed the last date for submission of nomination papers on March 9 while scrutiny of the documents will be done on March 10. The contestants can withdraw their candidature by March 12.