As the Election Commission of India (EC) has announced the dates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections today at 3 p.m., the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will come into force immediately and will be in place till election results are announced. As the tenure of the 17th Lok Sabha is scheduled to end on June 16, 2024, polls for its 543 seats must be held prior to it. Apart from the General Assembly polls, elections to State legislatures of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim will be held in the same time frame – April/May 2024.
Here’s a look at the MCC, dates of enforcement, guidelines and penalties for violation