The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) announced on Wednesday that parliamentary election candidates will be required to deposit JD2,000 in its Finance Department as a guarantee to abide by campaigning regulations.The deposit will be refunded if the candidate adheres to the rules governing advertisement campaigns within the capital.
Candidates will have to remove their posters and other campaign material one week after the end of polling in order to reclaim their deposits, otherwise the municipality will confiscate the amount and remove the material at the candidates’ expense.
The recently-endorsed regulations prohibit the use of adhesives and also define the specifications of posters to be used in campaigning. These include its material, which must be lightweight and not made of wood or metal.
The regulations also focus on the need to fix the posters firmly so they do not pose a threat to public safety.
Also, any posters that would cause visual pollution and damage the architectural feature of a building will be removed.
In addition, billboards should be hung a minimum of 4.5 metres above the surface of the street. This rule only applies to posters that are fixed above streets with pedestrians and cars passing underneath.
Posters and billboards, which should not exceed 5 square metres, are allowed in the proximity of circles, crossroads and traffic lights.
The Elections Law prohibits posting campaign material within state facilities, including governmental buildings and premises.
Candidates will need prior financial clearance from GAM, which will ask them to sign a special form prepared for this purpose before they register at the Interior Ministry.
Meanwhile, GAM teams have started removing all posters and campaign materials from the capital’s streets, as they are in clear violation of the law.
Campaigning can only start on Wednesday, after the conclusion of the registration period, scheduled between Sunday and Tuesday, following an announcement by Interior Minister Eid Fayez.
Candidates who started campaigning before the permitted date will have to pay for the removal of their posters and other campaign material, in addition to 25 per cent of the total as administrative expenses.