AnyTime News 
Model Code of Conduct comes into immediate effect
Over 5,000 flying squads and surveillance teams deployed
Complaints can be filed via 1950 helpline and cVIGIL app
Anytime News Network | Pooja Srivastava
The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections in five states on March 15, 2026. The elections will be held in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and West Bengal.
According to the Commission, official notifications issued by the respective states and union territory have already been published in their official gazettes. With this announcement, the Commission has directed the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of the concerned states and union territory to immediately enforce the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The MCC will also apply to announcements or policy decisions made by the central government in relation to these states and union territory. The Commission has strictly instructed authorities to ensure compliance with guidelines related to the removal of defacement from government, public and private properties.
The misuse of official vehicles, government residences and public funds for political campaigning has been strictly prohibited. Authorities have also been instructed to ensure that citizens’ privacy is respected and that no demonstrations or protests take place outside private residences. Additionally, no land, building or wall may be used for political flags, banners or posters without the owner’s consent.
To facilitate grievance redressal, a complaint monitoring system has been set up, including the dedicated helpline number 1950. Citizens and political parties can also report violations of the Model Code of Conduct using the cVIGIL mobile application.
For effective enforcement of the MCC, more than 5,173 flying squads and over 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams have been deployed across the states. These teams are tasked with ensuring that complaints are addressed within 100 minutes.
Political parties have been instructed to inform local police authorities before holding public meetings or rallies so that necessary arrangements for traffic management, security and required permissions such as loudspeaker usage can be ensured.
