The Noida Authority and Gautam Budh Nagar administration have ordered nearly 1.5 km of plastic sheet to drape the 30 stone and 22 bronze elephants at Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal. Mayawati's two statues at the park will be covered in cloth.

The covering of "each and every statue of elephant and each and every statue of Ms Mayawati" ordered by the Election Commission on Sunday could not begin today. In Lucknow, officials took time to decide whether it was the job of the Lucknow Development Authority or the UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam, and in Noida, the Authority and the Nigam met to decide on the colour of the cloth and plastic to be used at the park.

By evening, pink plastic was delivered in Noida  clear of the colours of all parties. Work to cover the statues will begin tomorrow, officials said. In Lucknow, officials said the statues had been measured and khaki cloth would be bought tomorrow.

In a press communique, the Election Commission defended its order to cover the statues. Their "continued display" was "violative of the spirit of the Model Code and... against the principles of level playing field", it said.

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