The Model Code of Conduct is the set of rules governing how parties, candidates and governments behave once an election is called. It is the reason you see ministers stop announcing new schemes the moment a poll date is published.
When it applies
The Code comes into force from the moment the Election Commission announces the schedule, not from the date of the poll, and stays in force until the election process is complete.
That gap matters. The announcement typically comes weeks before polling, and it is the announcement that freezes government activity.
It applies in the area going to the polls. A state election binds that state; a general election binds the whole country.
What it restricts
On the party in power
This is the substance of the Code. A governing party starts with the machinery of the state in its hands, and the Code exists to stop that becoming a campaign asset.
- No new schemes, projects or financial grants may be announced.
- Public money may not be spent on advertising that projects the achievements of the ruling party.
- Official vehicles, aircraft, machinery and staff may not be used for campaigning.
- Ministers may not combine official tours with electioneering.
- Discretionary transfers and postings of officials are restricted.
On everyone contesting
- No appeal to caste or communal feeling to secure votes.
- No criticism of a candidate’s private life, and no unverified allegations.
- No activity that could aggravate differences between communities.
- No bribery, intimidation or impersonation of voters.
- No campaigning in the 48 hours before polling closes.
- No meetings, processions or loudspeakers without permission.
It is not a law
The Code has no statute behind it. It grew out of agreement among political parties and is enforced by the Election Commission’s own authority.
In practice the Commission can censure a party or candidate, bar someone from campaigning for a period, order material withdrawn, or direct that a speech be investigated. Where conduct is also a criminal offence, such as bribery or promoting enmity, the ordinary law applies alongside.
Whether that is enough is a genuine and long-running argument. Proposals to give the Code statutory force have been made repeatedly and have not been adopted.
What it does not stop
Government does not halt. Routine administration continues, ongoing schemes carry on, and genuine emergencies such as relief work are not blocked. The restriction is on new discretionary announcements that could influence voters.
Where a decision is genuinely urgent, the Commission can be approached for clearance.
Why it is worth watching
Complaints under the Code are a reliable early signal of where a contest is turning sharp. Anyone can complain, including a voter, through the Commission’s channels or a District Electoral Officer.
The Code sits alongside the other limits on campaigning, notably the ceiling on candidate spending. Between them they define what a campaign is permitted to do in the weeks before you vote.
The current text is published by the Election Commission at eci.gov.in.
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