FOREWORD The Model Code of Conduct for Elections is an essential and vital tool for the conduct free and fair elections in our country. 2. This compendium is an updated version of the Compendium of Instructions on Model Code of Conduct 2013. This updated edition contains various instructions on model code issued by the Commission till July 2015 including the new Part incorporated in the Model Code, viz. Part VIII- Guidelines on Election Manifesto. Efforts have been made to add all important instructions on the model code so as to make it a very useful handbook on the subject. The instructions added to the current compendium are shown in Table of Contents, in Bold letters and marked with an Asterisk (*). Some instructions have been deleted, which are either not relevant to the subject of Model Code of Conduct or have been superseded by another instruction. These deleted instructions have been placed in the Compendium at Annexure-A. The text of the Model Code has also been incorporated for ready reference. 3. It is hoped that this edition will prove useful to all election related officials and other stakeholders. The Commission would welcome suggestions from all users of this edition with regard to additions, deletions, corrections and compilation, if any, of the instructions incorporated in this compendium. New Delhi, (VINOD ZUTSHI) Dated: 21st August, 2015 DEPUTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER 1 Compendium of Instructions On Model Code of Conduct Election Commission of India Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi-110001 2 MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT TABLE OF CONTENTS INST Page Letter No. Date Subject Sl. No. No. A. MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE GUIDANCE OF 13-19 POLITICAL PARTIES AND CANDIDATES B. ENFORCEMENT OF MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT Preparations for election for electing new State 1 437/6/98-PLN-II 15.09.1998 20 Assemblies. 2 437/6/16/2004 09.03.2004 Model Code of Conduct. 21-23 437/6/16/2003/PLN- Clarification regarding implementation of Rural 3 01.04.2004 24 III Development Programmes. Applicability of Model Code of Conduct – to 4 437/6/6/2004 25.03.2004 25 Speaker and Dy. Speaker. 5 464/INST/2007-PLN-I 07.01.2007 CODE OF CONDUCT – DOs & ‘DONT’s 26-33 General Elections – Enforcement of the Model Code 6 437/6/2009-CC&BE 05.03.2009 34-37 of Conduct - reg. 437/6/INST/2009- Applicability of Model Code to various Govt. 7 09.03.2009 38 CC&BE Schemes/projects etc 437/6/INST/2008- Applicability of Model Code of Conduct to 8 19.03.2009 39 cc&be Commissions, Corporations, Committees, etc General Election to Lok Sabha 2009- 9 *437/6/2009/CC&BE 25.03.2009 Application of model code of conduct- 40 clarification regarding. Display the photographs/calendars, etc of *437/6/INST/2008- national leaders and prominent personalities 10 01.04.2009 41 CC&BE in the government offices/premises- clarification reg. *437/6/INST/2009- General Election, 2009-Model Code of Conduct- 11 26.04.2009 42 CC&BE reg. Model Code of Conduct for the guidelines of 437/6INST/2011/CC& 12 05.04.2011 political parties and candidates in connection with 43 BE Meeting of Municipalities – regarding General/Bye-elections to the Lok Sabha/State 13 437/6/2011/CC&BE 11.10.2011 Legislative Assemblies/ Councils - period of 44 enforcement of Model Code of Conduct - regarding Bye-elections to the Lok Sabha/State *437/6INST/2012/CC 14 26.04.2012 Legislative Assemblies-Instructions on 45-46 &BE enforcement of Model Code of Conduct. Bye-elections to the Lok Sabha/State *437/6/INST/2013- Legislative Assemblies-Instructions on 15 21.10.2013 47 CC&BE enforcement of Model Code of Conduct- regarding. * Instructions added 3 General Election to Lok Sabha 2014 and simultaneous elections to State Legislative *437/6/1/2014- 16 05.03.2014 Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha & 48-50 CC&BE Sikkim and certain bye-elections-Enforcement of Model Code of Conduct – reg. *437/6/INST/2014- General Elections-Enforcement of the Model 17 14.03.2014 51 CC&BE Code of Conduct-reg. Instructions relating to deletion of all references on politicians/Ministers on the *437/6/INST/2014- 18 20.03.2014 official website during election period of 52 CC&BE General/Bye-elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Model Code of Conduct is not applicable to any *437/6/CG/2014- 19 27.03.2014 matter pertaining directly to the defence 53 CC&BE forces-reg. C. Celebration of Important Days Celebration of Republic Day - attendance of 20 437/6/98-PLN-III 10.01.1998 54 political functionaries ECI/GE98- Iftar Party - 10000 invitees at CM's residence at 21 27.01.1998 55 437/6/BR/98-PLN-III State cost Celebration of Independence Day - attendance of 22 437/6/99-PLN-III 28.07.1999 56 political functionaries Celebration of Sadbhavana Diwas - participation of 23 437/6/99-PLN-III, 16.08.1999 57 political functionaries Celebration of Gandhi Jayanti - participation of 24 437/6/2004/PLN-III 28.09.2004 58 political functionaries 437/6/INST/2012- Celebration of Republic Day-Clarification on the 25 24.01.2012 59-60 CC&BE attendance of political functionaries – regarding D. Publication of advertisements Display of advertisements and hoardings at the 26 437/6/2004-PLN III 08.03.2004 61-62 cost of public exchequer. Supreme Court's Order dated 13th April, 2004 27 509/75/2004/JS-I 15.04.2004 relating to advertisements of political nature on TV 63-72 Channel and cable networks. Restrictions on the printing of pamphlets, posters, 28 3/9/2004/J.S-II 24.08.2004 73-74 etc. Placing of advertisement on the World Habitat Day 29 437/6/28/2004/PLN-III 29.09.2004 75 in the National Dailies on 4th October, 2004. Display of advertisements and hoardings at the 30 437/6/2004-PLN III 24.12.2004 76-77 cost of public exchequer. Election related advertisements in newspapers 31 3/9/2007/JS-II 03.08.2007 78 and other print media – election campaign. Restrictions on the Printing of pamphlets, posters 32 3/9/2007/JS-II 16.10.2007 79 etc. * Instructions added 4 Instructions relating to deletion of all references on politicians/Ministers on the official website 437/6/2007(INST)- 33 21.11. 2007 during election period of General / Bye-Elections 80 PLN-III to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies – regarding. Publication of advertisements in connection with occasions like World Habitat Day, Pulse Polio/HIV 437/6/INST/2009- 34 23.02.2009 awareness campaigns and celebrations of various 81 CC&BE ‘Diwas’ like Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti, State Formation days. Applicability of Model Code of Conduct – Display of 437/6/INST/2008- 35 13.04.2009 advertisements and hoardings at the cost of public 82 CC&BE exchequer Model Code of Conduct-Publication of *437/6/INST/2013- advertisement by Central/State Governments 36 25.06.2013 83-84 CC&BE during bye-elections to Lok Sabha/State Legislative Assembly-regarding. Model Code of Conduct-Publication of advertisement by Central Government in the *437/6/CG/2013- 37 09.10.2013 newspapers of poll going States and States 85 CC&BE having circulation in poll going States – regarding. General Election to the State Legislative Assemblies of Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, *437/6/1/2013- 38 17.10.2013 Rajasthan, NCT of Delhi and Chhattisgarh- 86 CC&BE Publication of advertisement by Central and State Governments –regarding. Permission of Election Commission on DAVP’s Newspaper Advt. on the occasion of the Death *437/6/CG/2013- 39 30.10.2013 Anniversary of Former Prime Minister Smt. 87 CC&BE Indira Gandhi and the Birth Anniversary of Shri Sardar Valabhbhai Patel-reg. *437/6/1/2014- Continuation of Aadhaar related publicity in 40 01.04.2014 88 CC&BE various States-reg. E. Use of Vehicles/Aircraft 41 437/6/94/MCS- Vol-V 20.10.1994 Chartering of aircraft and helicopters 89-90 437/6/96-PLN-III 09.04.1996 General Elections - Security cover to 42 91-92 Ministers/Candidates 43 437/6/98/PLN-III 08.01.1998 Use of Aircraft by Political Parties-regarding 93 44 437/6/98-PLN-III 18.08.1999 Use of Aircraft during the Election Process 94 437/6/98-PLN-III 18.08.1999 Use of privately owned aircrafts other than 45 scheduled commercial flights by Political Parties 95 and the Government functionaries 4/2001/J.S.II 30.03.2001 Prevention of misuse of official vehicles 46 96 during elections – Clarification * Instructions added 5 4/2001/JS-II 08.05.2001 Supervision and monitoring of poll and counting process by leaders of political parties by using 47 97-98 private fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters on the days of poll and counting –regarding General Election to Lok Sabha 2004 reasonable 48 437/6/2004/PLN-III 08.05.2004 restrictions on movement of vehicles to ensure 99 free and fair elections--clarification regarding. General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of 49 464/INST/2006/PLN-I 17.03.2006 Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and 100 Pondicherry – Permits for vehicles – regarding 50 437/6/2006-PLN-III 23.11. 2007 Prevention of misuse of vehicles during elections. 101-105 437/6/2008/CC&BE 19.10.2008 General Election to the Legislative of Assemblies, 2008 - Use of official vehicle by the functionaries 51 106 of the various Boards/Commissions etc.- regarding.