Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in the light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct. (UPSC CSE Mains 2022 - General Studies Paper 2)
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an autonomous constitutional body responsible for administering Union and State election processes in India. In the context of free and fair elections, Model Code of Conduct (MCC) plays a crucial role.
- The Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission to regulate political parties and candidates prior to elections. MCC is operational from the date on which the election schedule is announced until the date of result announcement.
Evolution of Model Code of Conduct
- The origins of the Model Code of Conduct lie in the Assembly elections of Kerala in 1960, when the State administration prepared a ‘Code of Conduct’ for political factors.
- In the Lok Sabha elections of 1962, the Election Commission of India circulated the code to all recognized political parties and State Governments, and it was followed.
- In 1991, the Election Commission decided to enforce the Model Code of Conduct more strictly because of repeated flouting of the election norms and continued corruption.
Enforcement of MCC
- As part of its mandate to conduct free and fair elections under Article 324 of the Constitution, the Election Commission ensures that ruling parties at the Centre and in States adhere to the code.
- In case of electoral offences, malpractices, and corrupt practices like inducements to voters, bribery, intimidation or any undue influence, the Election Commission acts against violators.
- The Election Commission has devised several mechanisms for efficient enforcement of MCC such as:
- Joint task forces of enforcement agencies and flying squads.
- Introduction of the c-VIGIL mobile app through which audio-visual evidence of malpractices can be reported.
Model Code of Conduct does not have any statutory backing, it has come to acquire strength in the past decade because of its strict enforcement by the Election Commission. The various technological advancement has presented new challenges in the path of ensuring fair elections, but initiatives took by the Election Commission regarding the enforcement of model code of conduct seem to have been fruitful.
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