New Delhi, Jan 12: While the government has emphasized the need for simultaneous elections, citing disruptions caused by the frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the Election Commission (EC) has strongly defended it as an essential tool to ensure a level playing field during elections.
The push for ‘one nation, one election’ is detailed in bills introduced by the government, highlighting concerns over frequent polls being expensive, time-consuming, and hindering development programs. The bills argue that the repeated application of the MCC during poll-bound periods halts developmental projects, disrupts public life, and diverts manpower from core duties to election responsibilities.
However, the EC has maintained that the MCC is a crucial mechanism designed to ensure free and fair elections. “It would not be correct to view the application of MCC in terms of disruption, as it is a vital instrumentality aimed at providing a level playing field to all stakeholders involved in campaigns,” the EC stated.
The poll body’s views were shared in March 2023 as part of its response to the Law Commission’s questionnaire on simultaneous elections. The EC clarified that the MCC is not an arbitrary imposition but a voluntary code developed in consultation with political parties. “It is integral to conducting free and fair elections and ensuring credible outcomes,” the EC noted.
The Election Commission also underscored that it has consistently worked to minimize the MCC period, limiting it to the time necessary between the announcement of elections and the completion of the process.
The EC’s stand on simultaneous polls and the MCC’s role has been shared with key bodies, including the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the ‘one nation, one election’ bills and the high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
In response to the argument that periodic elections cause “policy paralysis” due to the MCC, the EC maintained that rationalizing election schedules could help reduce the MCC’s frequency but stressed its indispensable role in safeguarding the integrity of electoral processes.
As the debate over simultaneous elections intensifies, the EC’s stance reinforces the balancing act between ensuring smooth governance and upholding the democratic principle of fair elections.
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