Election Commission Takes Strict Measures Ahead of Assembly Elections in 5 States and By-elections in 6 States; Model Code of Conduct Comes into Immediate Effect*

*..Election Commission Takes Strict Measures Ahead of Assembly Elections in 5 States and By-elections in 6 States; Model Code of Conduct Comes into Immediate Effect*

 REPORTED BY SANCHITA CHATTERJEE: Immediately following the announcement on March 15 of the election schedule for the Legislative Assemblies of five states and Union Territories, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect in the respective regions starting today.

The Election Commission has issued the following clear directives:

• *Code of Conduct:* In the states of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, no new government policies may be formulated, nor can any major announcements be made, effective immediately. The Central Government is also required to adhere to these regulations with regard to the concerned states.

• *Strict Surveillance:* The display of banners, posters, or flags on government or private property without prior permission has been prohibited. Directives have been issued to ensure that no political party utilizes government vehicles or official facilities for election-related purposes.

• *Complaint Mechanism:* Members of the public and political parties may directly dial the number 1950 to lodge complaints regarding electoral irregularities or violations of the Code of Conduct. Additionally, complaints can also be submitted via the 'C-Vigil' mobile application.

• *Field-Level Deployment:* To ensure that action is taken within 100 minutes of receiving a complaint, 5,173 Flying Squads and 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams have been deployed across the states.

• *Restrictions on Official Duties:* Ministers are strictly prohibited from conflating official government duties with election campaign activities in any manner. Furthermore, the 'Suvidha' module has been designated as the mandatory platform for obtaining permissions to hold public meetings or processions.The Election Commission has unequivocally stated that officials at all levels must discharge their duties impartially and uphold the transparency of the electoral process.