What is ‘Model Code of Conduct’?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 24, 2017
The Election Commission of India (ECI) enforces the Model of Conduct (MCC) during elections. While multiple cases of MCC violations come to the notice of the ECI, the guilty are let off with a warning in most cases.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) kicks in as soon as elections to either state assemblies or the Lok Sabha are announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).  The MCC is a set of instructions to be followed by both political parties and candidates contesting elections. The MCC is a set of guidelines and instructions on general conduct, campaigning, meetings etc. during elections. The MCC is in place till the entire process of elections is complete.
Guidelines for General Conduct
The following are the important guidelines for general conduct when the MCC is in place.
Any violation of the above guidelines will invite a notice from the ECI as to why action should not be taken and why a case should not be registered against the guilty. Notices have been issued to candidates from various political parties for violation of model code of conduct. Individuals from across party lines like the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar were served notices by the ECI for violating the MCC. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also served notices in the past for violation of the MCC. Congress President Rahul Gandhi was also served a notice by the ECI for MCC violations.
Guidelines relating to Meetings & Processions
The MCC also contains guidelines with respect to conduct of meetings & holding processions. Some of the important guidelines are the following
Guidelines for the Polling Day and at the Polling Booth
On the day the polling, all the political parties and candidates should abide by the following instructions.
Other Guidelines
Apart from these, there are other guidelines for election observers and the party in power. The MCC also stipulates guidelines for election manifestos.  The following are the some of the important guidelines for the party in power.
Is the enforcement effective?
While the ECI does issue notices to politicians from various parties for the violation of the MCC, it generally does not go to the extent of taking any action. The issue ends with a warning to the candidate not to repeat the same mistake. Though there are multiple electoral offences as defined under various laws, rarely is action taken in any of these cases.
Featured Image: Model Code of Conduct