New Delhi, March 15 – CEC Gyanesh Kumar said on Sunday that both the central and state governments are free to make policy decisions based on their own judgment before the Model Code of Conduct comes into effect.
He made this statement in response to a question about the West Bengal government announcing two important decisions in quick succession – the clearance of DA arrears for its employees and an increase in honorariums for priests and muezzins – just minutes before the announcement of the assembly election schedule.
Kumar said that decisions made before the Model Code of Conduct comes into effect are the prerogative of the government, and the election code itself has come into effect now, coinciding with the press conference by the election authority to announce the election dates, which began around 4 pm.
While Banerjee announced the increase in honorariums for Hindu and Muslim clergy on X at 2:40 pm, 80 minutes ahead of the scheduled Election Commission press conference to announce election schedules in five states at 4 pm, she made the DA arrears disbursement announcement at 3:05 pm, 55 minutes prior to the EC event.
The election body announced on Sunday that the assembly elections for the 294 seats in Bengal will be held in two phases – April 23 and April 29 – with counting scheduled for May 4.