What is the Election Code of Conduct?

Political parties or candidates shall ensure that their supporters neither obstruct the meeting and rally of the opposition parties or candidates nor distribute pamphlets in the meeting organised by the opposition parties.

. Political parties or the candidates shall have to seek prior permission from the police or concerned authorities of the area before organizing the meeting at any place so that traffic and other necessary arrangements can be made.

If a Political party or a candidate is about to organize the procession, then ‘it or he’ has to inform; (about its time, path of procession, place of starting of procession and the place where the procession will end) to the concerned authorities.

The Election Commission of India releases the guidelines to conduct free and fair election in the country. These guidelines give the overview to the political parties and candidates about what “do and don’t” before and during the election.

. Political parties or candidates shall ensure that the identity slip given to the voters on the day of polling shall be printed on the plain (white) paper. The Slip shall not have name/symbol of any political party or the candidate.

Commission has recommended postponing certain policy decisions of the government related to natural gas pricing, and notifying ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats, by invoking the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Model Code of Conduct is a set of instructions to be followed by both candidates in the fray and political parties contesting elections. The Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines and instructions on campaigning, general conduct and meetings etc. during elections. The Model Code of Conduct remains effective till the entire elections process is not completed.

. The Voters should not be served alcohol, etc. on the day of polling and 24 hours prior polling.

The MCC is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission to regulate political parties and candidates prior to elections, to ensure free and fair elections.

This is in keeping with Article 324 of the Constitution, which gives the Election Commission the power to supervise elections to the Parliament and state legislatures. The MCC is operational from the date that the election schedule is announced till the date that results are announced.

The ruling party's ministers shall not use government machinery like government employees, vehicles, government buildings during elections campaigning.

No political party or candidate can secure votes on the basis of caste and religion. That is the reason that temples, mosques, churches and other religious places shall not be used for election propaganda/campaigning.

for the general elections this year, the MCC came into force on March 5, 2014, when the election schedule was announced, and will operate till May 16, 2014, when the final results will be announced.

The ruling party shall not have monopoly over public places, helipads and aircrafts, the candidates of other parties will also be able to use them with the same conditions as the ruling party is following.

No political party or candidate shall be involved in any such activity, so that there is an atmosphere of hatred and tension among the people of different castes and religions.

According to the Press Information Bureau, a form of the MCC was first introduced in the state assembly elections in Kerala in 1960.

. No advertisement will be published or displayed at the cost of public exchequer through newspapers & other media during the election. Other media will also not be used to disseminate the achievements of the government.

Political Parties and candidates will have the right to criticize the policies and programs, past records and work of their opposition parties. Parties and candidates shall refrain themselves from commenting on the personal life or family of any candidate.

It was a set of instructions to political parties regarding election meetings, speeches, slogans, etc. In the 1962 general elections to the Lok Sabha, the MCC was circulated to recognised parties, and state governments sought feedback from the parties. The MCC was largely followed by all parties in the 1962 elections and continued to be followed in subsequent general elections

In 1979, the Election Commission added a section to regulate the ‘party in power’ and prevent it from gaining an unfair advantage at the time of elections. In 2013, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to include guidelines regarding election manifestos, which it has included in the MCC for the 2014 general elections.

The ministers and other authorities shall not sanction grants/payments out of discretionary fund from the date elections are announced by the commission.

Threatening voters, giving bribe, campaigning in the periphery of 100 meters from polling booths, organizing a public meeting within 48 hours of polling, and arranging transport “to and from” the polling booths is also prohibited.

a. Announce any financial grant or any new scheme or promise thereof.

b. Make any promise of construction of roads, provision of drinking water facilities etc.

c. Lay foundation stones etc. of project or scheme of any kind (except civil servants).

d. Make any ad-hoc appointments in government, public undertakings etc.

The MCC contains eight provisions dealing with general conduct, meetings, processions, polling day, polling booths, observers, party in power, and election manifestos.

No political parties or candidates shall permits its or his followers to use the land, building, compound, wall, vehicle without the permission of the property owner for pasting pamphlets, banners, displaying party flags, writing slogans etc.