The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) following the announcement of Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The Commission has also ordered a major bureaucratic reshuffle in West Bengal, replacing key police and administrative officials in a move aimed at ensuring free and fair elections.
The election schedule was announced by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on March 15. Following the announcement, MCC came into immediate effect in the poll-bound states and Union Territory.
Strict enforcement of Model Code of Conduct
The Commission has issued directions to Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of the concerned states to ensure strict compliance with MCC provisions.
The guidelines include the removal of defacement from government, public and private property, prevention of misuse of official vehicles or government accommodation for campaign purposes, and a ban on government-funded advertisements that could influence voters.
Authorities have also been directed to ensure that demonstrations or picketing are not held outside private residences and that flags, banners or posters are not placed on private property without the owner’s consent.
To monitor violations, the Commission has activated a complaint system through the voter helpline number 1950 and the cVIGIL app available on the ECINET platform.
More than 5,173 flying squads and over 5,200 static surveillance teams have been deployed across the poll-bound states and Union Territory to respond to complaints within 100 minutes.
Political parties have been asked to inform local authorities in advance about meetings and processions to facilitate traffic management and security arrangements. Ministers have also been instructed not to combine official duties with election campaigning or use government machinery for political purposes.
The Commission has activated the SUVIDHA module on ECINET to allow political parties to apply online for the use of public venues such as grounds and helipads on a first-come, first-served basis.
Major police reshuffle in West Bengal
Ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal, the Commission replaced acting Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey with senior IPS officer Siddh Nath Gupta.
The ECI also appointed Ajay Kumar Nand as the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police, replacing Supratim Sarkar.
Additionally, Ajay Mukund Ranade has been appointed as Additional Director General and Inspector General (Law and Order), replacing Vineet Kumar Goyal. Senior IPS officer Natarajan Ramesh Babu has been posted as Director General of Correctional Services.
The Commission had earlier ordered the transfer of the state’s Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena from election-related duties. They were replaced by Dushyant Nariala and Shanghamitra Ghosh respectively.
The reshuffle, according to the Commission, is aimed at ensuring peaceful and violence-free elections in the state.
Poll schedule
As per the announced schedule, voting in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will be held in a single phase on April 9. Polling in Tamil Nadu will take place on April 23.
Elections in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while counting of votes for all five assemblies will be held on May 4.
The Commission has emphasised that all officials must act impartially while enforcing the Model Code of Conduct to maintain the credibility and integrity of the electoral process.
(With agency inputs)
