Acting on the directives of the Election Commission, the railways has imposed a penalty of Rs 28,000 on Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal for defacing public property at its premises in Patna and Hajipur.

The notice sent to Bihar RJD president Abdul Bari Siddiqui has asked him to deposit the penalty at the East Central Railway zonal office by January 13, ECR Chief Public Relations Officer A K Chandra told PTI in Patna on Thursday.

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The RJD had put up posters, banners and hoardings for a rally in Patna on December 23. However, the rally was later called off after the EC took a strong note of it, saying it was a violation of the model code of conduct.

While Rs 15,000 of the fine amount will be used for clearing the posters, banners and hoardings, which were put up for the rally, from the Patna junction railway station, the
the remaining Rs 13,000 will be used to clear the Hajipur station of the defacement, he said.

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Similar notices have been sent to the Lok Janshakti Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters asking the two parties to pay penalty of Rs 2,000 each for defacement of railway properties at the two stations during their rallies held in November and December.

The EC had directed the railways and other agencies concerned to realise the fines from the RJD, the LJP and the BJP following a report from its advisor, K J Rao.

Rao, during his Bihar visit on December 20, had found a large number of posters, banners and hoardings put up by supporters of the three parties at railway premises in Patna and Hajipur.