The Commission said complaints have been received regarding hoardings extolling the achievements of the state government and displaying comparative statistics with that of the previous governments.

"The Commission has carefully examined the issue and feels that there is sufficient merit in the complaints... Publicity hoardings of these types, set up at government cost, do just that, namely, give an unfair advantage to the party in power at the cost of public exchequer," it said.

On receipt of the Commission's directive, the state government instructed all deputy commissioners and other concerned officers, and the managing directors of corporations to remove all such hoardings, an official spokesman in Shimla said.

The code of conduct for the next month's assembly elections came into force from January 11.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer Manisha Nanda directed that the candidates, their supporters, and political parties should not deface public and private property by pasting posters and writing slogans during the campaign.