On 10th of March, the Election Commission imposed a model code of conduct for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019. Here is the elections schedule for 2019 General Elections. Model Code of Conduct or MCC is are a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that there is a free and fair conduct of polls. It comes into effect from the day ECI announces the dates for the Lok Sabha Elections and continues till the election results have been announced. It is like rules and regulations that the contesting candidates and political parties have to keep in fray. The Article 324 of the constitution gives power to the ECI to keep a check on political parties, central & state governments and contesting candidates during election time.
MCC has been formed by the ECI and agreed upon by all major political parties. However, it does not have any statutory backing. Although, ECI has the power to file a case against the MCC defaulter or violater under the IPP or Income tax act.
Kerala was the first state to adopt MCC for elections in 1960, ahead of the assembly elections. This experiment was successful and was executed nation wide in Lok Sabha polls 1962. The MCC has be constantly revised ever since then.
The ECI cannot announce the election schedule more than 3 weeks before the elections have been announced. Hence the MCC applies 3 weeks before the official elections have begun.
Important guidelines or provisions under the Model Code Conduct:
1. General Conduct: The political parties are allowed to criticise each other based on each others work and performance. However, they are not allowed to bring in the caste and communal angle. They can also not raise fingers at each other, if there are no verified reports or on their personal lives.
2. Meetings: It is pertinent for the parties to inform the local authorities and police before carrying out any rallies or political activities in advance so that they have enough time to make security arrangements. Even if loud speakers etc. need to be obtained, the permission has to be taken in advance.
3. Processions: The political parties are not allowed to burn effigies of one another and in case there is a road show of two parties on the same day, their routes cannot clash with one another.
4. Polling Day: All workers who are working in the polling booth on behalf of a particular party, can only do so by wearing batches of that parties name and symbol for clear identification.
5. Polling Booths: The political parties cannot campaign within 100 mtrs of the polling booth on the day of the election. Only personnel allowed by the ECI can enter the polling booth. One should also refrain from serving alcohol on the day or voting or 48 hours prior to it.
6. Observers: There are observers of the election who have been appointed by the ECI. Political parties can reach out to them if they notice any violation of the model code of conduct.
7. The Party in Power: Ruling party cannot use public money or official mass media to communicate their achievements. They also cannot club an official work with campaigning. They also cannot announce financial grants or make tall promises when the elections are just about to take place. All parties must have equal access to public spaces and power should not be used to stop anyone from performing any campaigning activity. The only exception to this is in case of a natural calamity when the developmental work can be carried on.
8. Election Manifestos: Any political party cannot release their election manifesto in 48 hours preceding the polling.
There have been many instances of breaking the model code on conduct by prominent leaders and hence these guidelines are not executed property. Mostly, the issue ends with giving a warning to the violater and hence rarely any action is taken.
ECI has taken into account that MCC will also be included on the internet and social media sites. The candidates declare their official accounts and now also include expenditure on social media ads as a political expense they occur. The social media big wigs like Facebook, twitter etc. have decided to comply with the ECI in order to ensure there is no fake news or an MCC violation on their platform.
- Tanya Kathpal
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