GUIDELINES OF MCC (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, the Supreme Court declined the ruling party's challenge against a Calcutta High Court order, barring the publication of derogatory ads targeting the opposition party.

Model Code of Conduct

• About: The MCC is a set of guidelines established by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to regulate the conduct of political parties and candidates during elections.
• Objective: The primary goal of the MCC is to ensure orderly, transparent, and peaceful campaigning, polling, and counting processes.
• Constitutional Mandate: It aligns with Article 324 of the Constitution, empowering the ECI to supervise and ensure the fairness of parliamentary and state legislative elections.
• Legal Status: The MCC was the result of a consensus among major political parties. It has no statutory backing.
• Duration: The MCC remains in effect from the announcement of the election schedule until the declaration of results.
• History: Originating from the 1960 Kerala Assembly elections, it evolved from a localized "Code of Conduct" formulated by the state administration.

Guidelines of MCC

• The MCC contains eight provisions dealing with general conduct, meetings, processions, polling day, polling booths, observers, the party in power, and election manifestos.
• Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work.
• Refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the lead- ers or workers of other parties.
• Criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.