India election commission issues notice to two largest political parties for violation of election code News
Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
India election commission issues notice to two largest political parties for violation of election code

The Election Commission of India (ECI) issued election code violation notices Thursday to India’s two largest political parties, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the largest opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC).

The notices are issued for violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by the star campaigners of both parties, including the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, from the BJP and the senior leader of INC, Rahul Gandhi. The MCC is a set of guidelines issued by the ECI to regulate the conduct of political parties and their candidates in the run-up to elections.

Both the notices from ECI stated that political parties are expected to be accountable for the conduct of their star campaigners and to take primary responsibility for ensuring that they comply with the MCC. The ECI stated that it has received complaints from other political parties and civil society organizations alleging that some of the BJP and INC’s star campaigners have violated the MCC in their speeches. The notices add, “Yours is a National Party and is therefore expected to be the standard bearer in political and campaign discourse and as such should also set high standards of compliance of the model code of conduct.”

The ECI directed BJP and INC to send their comments on the allegations by 11:00 AM on Monday, April 29, 2024. The ECI also directed the BJP and INC to instruct all of its star campaigners to uphold high standards of political discourse and comply with the MCC.

The MCC mandates that political parties and candidates refrain from activities that foster societal discord, opting instead for constructive criticism of opponents’ policies. They must eschew corrupt practices, respect individuals’ privacy and property rights, and ensure orderly conduct at events, avoiding disruptions or clashes.

The Indian general election is currently taking place in seven phases, beginning on April 19 and ending on June 1. This election is responsible for electing Members of Parliament for the country’s lower house, Lok Sabha, and, as a result, the prime minister and central government.

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