Sri Lankan Elections Department on Sunday ordered the removal of all cutouts, banners and posters in connection with the forthcoming parliamentary election to be held on April 8.

Elections Chief Dayananda Dissanayaka told reporters that all election materials in public places should be removed by Monday as the nomination period ended on Friday.

He said his department will remove all of them with the support of the police if the relevant parties do not remove them by themselves.

Dissanayaka said he has sent a letter to all political parties and independent parties, highlighting 24 key points regarding the general election.

Un-authorized meetings and demonstrations are prohibited during the election, he said, adding that no stickers, flags and propaganda work should be displayed according to elections law.

He stressed that no political party should utilize the properties of government departments, corporations and boards for election propaganda activities.

The commissioner has also ordered that no employee attached to government departments and corporations be used for election propaganda work.

Chief of Sri Lanka Police Elections Bureau Gamini Navaratne said they have already ordered police stations in the country to remove all publicity materials of candidates contesting the election and stop public rallies without prior approval of the police.

Navaratne said earlier that the police banned all election processions until April 15 to prevent clashes between rival political parties.