March 16, New Delhi — The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Notifications issued by the ECI and the States/UTs of Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry have been published in their respective gazettes.
With this announcement, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into immediate effect in the concerned States/UTs and will also apply to the Central Government for any announcements or policy decisions related to these regions. The Commission has directed strict compliance with instructions regarding the removal of defacement from government, public, and private property, the prevention of misuse of official vehicles or government accommodation by political parties, candidates, or any other person connected to elections, and a ban on advertisements at the cost of public funds. Citizens’ privacy must be respected, with no demonstrations or picketing outside private residences, and land, buildings, or walls cannot be used for flags, banners, or posters without the owner’s consent.
A complaint monitoring system has been set up, including a Call Centre number 1950, where complaints can be lodged by the public or political parties with the DEO/RO concerned. MCC violations can also be reported using the C-Vigil App on ECINET. Over 5,173 Flying Squads and more than 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) have been deployed across the States/UTs to ensure that complaints are addressed within 100 minutes.
Political parties have been asked to inform police authorities in advance of meetings and processions to enable traffic and security arrangements, comply with prohibitory orders, and obtain necessary permissions for loudspeakers or other facilities. Ministers are prohibited from combining official duties with electioneering or using government machinery, transport, or personnel for campaign purposes. Officials at all levels have been directed to act impartially in enforcing the MCC, ensuring equal treatment of all parties, preventing misuse of official facilities, regulating meetings and processions fairly, safeguarding law and order, and maintaining the credibility of the electoral process.
The SUVIDHA module on ECINET has been activated to allow political parties to apply for public places such as maidans and helipads, which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
(File Photo: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar)
(Source: Election Commission)