As India was bracing itself for the much-awaited Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Election Commission of India enforced the Model Code of Conduct on March 16, a few days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha Election dates, regulating electoral governance. On Tuesday, the Election Commission in a press release, stated that it was broadly "satisfied" that the political parties and the various campaigns undertaken by them and their candidates complied with the Model Code of Conduct. 


"Approximately 200 complaints have been filed by various political parties and candidates at the level of EC and across States. Of these, action has been taken in 169 cases," EC stated in its statement.


EC also stated that it has specifically taken a firm stand in the matter of dignity and honour of women by issuing notices to leaders of parties who made offensive and derogatory remarks against women.


"The Commission went a step ahead in placing accountability on party chiefs/presidents for ensuring that their party leaders and campaigners do not resort to such disrespectful and derogatory comments," the statement read.





 


Complaints Filed During Past Month


According to the press release, 16 delegations from 7 political parties met ECI to lodge their complaints regarding the alleged violations of the MCC. 


"The Commission led by CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar along with ECS Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Shri Sukhbir Singh Sandhu monitors countrywide pending cases of alleged violations of MCC daily at noon," the statement read.


The press release also mentioned a breakup of the complaints filed so far. These included: "BJP were 51, out of which action has been taken in 38 cases; complaints from INC were 59, with action taken in 51 cases; complaints received from other parties were 90, out of which action has been taken in 80 cases."


An FIR was filed against BJP Minister Shobha Karandlaje for her unverified allegations on Rameshwar Blast Cafe based on a complaint from DMK.


A notice was sent to BJP leader Dilip Ghosh for his objectionable and disrespectful remarks towards TMC supremo Mamta Banerjee.


Based on a complaint from the BJP, a notice was sent to Supriya Shrinate and Surjewala both from INC for their derogatory remarks against BJP leaders Kangana Ranaut and Hema Malini respectively.


An FIR was lodged against the remarks made by  DMK's Anita R Radhakrishnan.


Removal And Transfer Of Officers


EC stated in the release that it carried out suo motu removal of officers holding  dual charges as "Principal Secretaries to Chief Ministers in six states namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, as they were holding charge of Home / General Administration department."


This was done to distance election-related senior officers with control over, DMS/DEOs/ROs and SPs, from the offices of the Chief Minister.


Non-Cadre officers were transferred and posted at various leadership positions as District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) in four states namely Punjab, Gujarat, Odisha, and West Bengal.


A few other officers were transferred in Assam, Punjab, and Haryana as they had familial ties and kinship with the elected political representatives.