KOCHI — The Ernakulam Anti-Defacement Squad announced today that it has successfully restored the original gray color of a small section of a flyover pillar, marking a decisive victory in the war against the 35,000 campaign materials currently suffocating the district.

The squad, operating under the Election Commission’s strict 100-minute resolution mandate, reported that for a brief, shining moment at 11:42 AM, a public wall in Vyttila was entirely visible to the human eye. The victory lasted approximately four minutes before a local party worker, acting with what witnesses described as 'superhuman efficiency,' covered the spot with a fresh poster of a smiling candidate promising to clean up the city.

"We are maintaining a level playing field by ensuring that no single candidate’s face remains on a wall for longer than it takes to dry," said a district nodal officer, while peeling a banner off his own department’s windshield. "By removing 5,142 boards in Ernakulam and another 13,197 in Pathanamthitta, we are forcing political parties to innovate in the field of adhesive technology."

According to the 2026 guidelines, flying squads must respond to cVIGIL app complaints within 100 minutes—a pace of governance usually reserved only for when a VIP’s motorcade is stuck in traffic. Records show that on Saturday alone, the squad processed 766 complaints, effectively creating a high-stakes game of 'Whac-A-Mole' played with glue brushes and scrapers.

While candidates are technically limited to a spending cap of Rs 40 lakh—from which the cost of 'illegal' poster removal is deducted—party insiders confirm that the 'Anti-Defacement' drive has become an essential part of the local economy.

"It’s a perfect ecosystem," said one printing press owner speaking on condition of anonymity. "The party pays me to print 10,000 posters. The squad removes them by noon. The party then pays me to print 10,000 'Replacement' posters to protest the removal of the first batch. Democracy is finally creating jobs."

At the time of reporting, the squad was seen attempting to remove a campaign banner tied to a stray cow, which was technically classified as 'unauthorized mobile publicity' under the Model Code of Conduct.