Relaxation in Model Code of Conduct | 01 May 2019

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra has written to the Election Commission seeking relaxation in the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), in force since March 10 for the Lok Sabha polls, in order to undertake drought relief measures in the State.

• 151 talukas in Maharashtra has been declared as drought affected and hence some infrastructure works such as drilling of borewells, repairs to drinking water schemes etc. need to be taken.

Model Code of Conduct

• The MCC is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission (EC) to regulate political parties and candidates prior to elections.
• Basically, the code spells out the do's and don’ts for elections.

Relaxations

• Election Commission in its guidelines on March 5, 2009 allowed following types of works that can be continued by the government agencies without making any reference to it:
  
  • Work-projects that have actually started on the ground after obtaining all necessary sanctions.
  • Beneficiary-projects where specific beneficiaries have been identified, by name, before coming of Model Code into force.
  • Emergency relief works and measures that are aimed at mitigating the hardships, directly and solely, of the persons affected in a disaster may be taken up under intimation to the Election Commission.