ECI Extends MCC Curbs to Retired Govt. Officials

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity

In News

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clarified that restrictions under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) applicable to serving government employees will also extend to retired government officials and other individuals engaged by State and Union Territory governments in various capacities.

Model Code of Conduct (MCC)

• It is a set of guidelines published by the Election Commission of India (EC) for political parties and candidates to set standards of conduct during the election campaign and polling. 
• It also explains how parties can lodge complaints to the EC observers in case of dispute and instructs how the Ministers of the parties in power must conduct themselves when the MCC is in force. 
• In 2019, a new addition regarding election manifestos was added, instructing parties to not issue promises which were ‘repugnant to the ideals of the Constitution’.
• The MCC is not a statutory document – not enforceable by any laws passed by the Parliament .
  • Violating many of its guidelines may not attract punitive action.
    • However, several actions are listed as ‘electoral offences’ and ‘corrupt practices’ under the Indian Penal Code (now known as Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and the Representation of the People Act, 1951. 
    • These actions will attract appropriate punishment as per these laws.

How the Model Code evolved

• The MCC started as a small set of dos and don’ts for the Assembly election in Kerala. 
• It covered the conduct of election meetings/processions, speeches, slogans, posters and placards in 1960 when K V K Sundaram was the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
• In 1968, under CEC S P Sen Verma, the EC consulted with political parties and circulated the Code to observe minimum standards of behaviour to ensure free and fair elections.
•  It became a practice for the EC to circulate the Code before every General Election in 1979 
• The EC in consultation with the political parties further amplified the code, adding a new section placing restrictions on the “party in power” to prevent abuse of position to get undue advantage over other parties and candidates.
•  In 1991, the MCC was consolidated and re-issued.

Source: AIR