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More than 730 cases of alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) have so far been registered ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls, an official said on Monday. The cases were lodged between January 7, when the MCC into force, and January 26. A total of 22,857 people were arrested under various legal provisions, including those under the Excise Act, during this period, according to a statement. Ahead of the polls, police have intensified vigilance at border checkpoints and conducted crackdowns on illegal activities, including smuggling of arms, liquor and drugs. Delhi Police has recorded 738 cases of alleged MCC violations and confiscated 364 illegal firearms and 445 cartridges, the statement said. It has also seized 61,610 litres of liquor worth more than Rs 1.8 crore, 156.411 kg of drugs worth over Rs 72 crore and more than 1,200 banned injections. Law enforcement agencies have also seized Rs 6.36 crore in cash and 37.39 kg of silver, the statement said. Polli
More than 700 cases of alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) have so far been registered ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls, an official said on Friday. The cases were lodged between January 7, when the MCC into force, and January 25. A total of 21,841 people were arrested under various legal provisions, including those under the Excise Act, during this period, according to a statement. Ahead of the polls, police have intensified vigilance at border checkpoints and conducted crackdowns on illegal activities, including the smuggling of arms, liquor and drugs. Delhi Police has recorded 718 cases of alleged MCC violations and confiscated 348 illegal firearms and 439 cartridges, the statement said. It has also seized 57,504 litres of liquor worth more than Rs 1.7 crore, 155.08 kg of drugs worth over Rs 72 crore and more than 1,200 banned injections. Law enforcement agencies have also seized Rs 6.19 crore in cash and 37.39 kg of silver, the statement said. Po
Over 500 cases of alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct have been registered so far ahead of the assembly elections in the national capital, an official said on Thursday. The cases were registered between January 7, when the model code came into effect, and January 22. A total of 17,879 people were arrested under various provisions, including the Excise Act, during this period, according to a statement. Ahead of the polls, the city police has intensified vigilance at border checkpoints and conducted crackdowns on illegal activities, including the smuggling of arms, liquor and drugs. Delhi Police recorded 504 cases of alleged Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations and confiscated 270 illegal firearms and 372 cartridges, the statement said It also seized 44,265 litres of liquor worth over Rs 1.3 crore, 110.53 kg of drugs worth more than Rs 20 crore, and over 1,200 banned injections. Law enforcement agencies also seized Rs 4.56 crore in cash and 37.39 kg of silver, the stat
One of the key reasons cited by the government to push for simultaneous polls has been that frequent imposition of model code disrupts development work and normal public life, but the Election Commission has asserted it is a "vital instrumentality" aimed at providing level playing field in polls. According to the bills brought by the government to implement 'one nation, one election', there is an imperative need for holding simultaneous elections for various reasons including polls becoming expensive and time-consuming. The Constitution amendment bill to implement 'one nation, one election' said the imposition of a Model Code of Conduct in poll-bound parts of the country puts on hold the entire development programmes and causes disruption in normal public life. It said that frequent poll code imposition also impacts the functioning of services and diverts the man manpower from their core activities to election duties for prolonged periods. But the poll authority is of the view that
With the Model Code of Conduct coming into force for the assembly polls announced on February 5, the Delhi government on Tuesday issued various guidelines barring display of photos and references to the elected dispensation or politicians of any other party on official websites. The general administration department (GAD) in its order directed various departments to immediately remove photographs and references of the council of ministers, political parties and their leaders from official websites. In another order, the GAD directed that no advertisements will be issued highlighting the government's achievements at the cost of public exchequer in view of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) imposition. "If any advertisement has already been released for telecast/broadcast or published in the print media, it must be ensured that the telecast/broadcast of such advertisement on electronic media is stopped forthwith," said the order. No wall writing, pasting of posters or defacement in any
The Congress on Monday demanded that the Election Commission take action against IPS officer Rashmi Shukla for allegedly violating the model code of conduct during the Maharashtra assembly elections by meeting Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Congress's chief spokesperson, Atul Londhe, claimed Shukla met Fadnavis, the state home minister, when the model code of conduct was in place. The IPS officer reportedly met Fadnavis at his official residence on the evening of November 23, the day votes were counted. Earlier this month, the Election Commission had directed the Maharashtra government to transfer DGP Rashmi Shukla with immediate effect following complaints from political parties, including the Congress. The poll body directed the Maharashtra chief secretary to hand over Shukla's charge to the next senior-most IPS officer in the cadre. Talking to reporters, Londhe said, "Rashmi Shukla met the state home minister when the model code of conduct was in place, which is a
The seizures of cash, alcohol, and other items amid the poll code conduct for the Maharashtra assembly elections amounted to Rs 660.16 crore, while 8,668 of 8,678 complaints lodged through the C-Vigil app were resolved. As per the information shared by the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer, 8,678 complaints were lodged across Maharashtra via the Election Commission's C-Vigil app from October 15, when the model code of conduct kicked in, to November 18. Of these, 8,668 complaints were resolved. Enforcement agencies from the state and Central governments seized illegal items worth a staggering Rs 660.16 crore during the same period. The seized assets included cash, alcohol, drugs, and precious metals, the CEO's office stated. The strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct is underway in the state which votes on November 20 ensuring that the election process remains fair and transparent. The C-Vigil app and proactive enforcement measures have played a critical role in
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar's bags were checked by the poll personnel at Baramati helipad in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday morning, according to his associate. Pawar was on way to attend a poll rally in Solapur, the associate said. The model of code of conduct is enforced in the state for the assembly elections scheduled on November 20. "While Pawar saheb was on his way to Karmala poll rally in Solapur, his bags were checked at the Baramati helipad. After the due checking, he boarded the chopper and proceeded for the rally," the associate said. On Saturday, poll authorities checked the bag of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Maharashtra's Amravati district where he arrived for a poll rally. Later, former state minister and Congress' Teosa MLA Yashomati Thakur questioned the action of the poll authorities and asked why they were not checking bags of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah or Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The issue of poll officials check
Police have seized more than Rs 3.70 crore cash from a van in Palghar district of Maharashtra amid the code of conduct in place for the November 20 assembly polls, an official said on Saturday. The cash was seized at Wada in the coastal district on Friday, police inspector Datta Kindre said. "The police's vigilance and flying squad received a tip-off that a van was transporting cash through the district. Based on the information, the team intercepted the van and carried out a check, during which it found that Rs 3,70,50,000 cash was being transported. The driver and security personnel failed to produce valid documents required for the transportation of the cash," he said. They told the police that the cash was being taken from a company based in Navi Mumbai to Vikramgad in Palghar, he added. The cash has since been seized and the Income Tax Department as well as election officials have been informed for further probe, he said, adding that two occupants of the van have been detained
In the run-up to the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections, police have seized Rs 2.3 crore cash from 12 persons at Kalbadevi in south Mumbai, officials said on Friday. Acting on inputs, a team of Lokmanya Tilak Marg police station and poll officials intercepted a group of people on Thursday night. While a search led to the discovery of Rs 2.3 crore, the individuals could neither produce any documents linked to the cash nor explain why they were carrying so much money, an official said. As the model code of conduct for the state elections is in force, surveillance teams formed on the instructions of the Election Commission are checking the movement of potential inducements like cash, liquor, and other items. After paperwork and questioning, which went on till the early hours of Friday, the money was seized and the 12 persons carrying the cash were detained, he said. The cash was later handed over to the Income Tax department for further probe, the official added.
Various government departments in Maharashtra have removed orders published on the official website after the enforcement of the model code of conduct, following instructions from the office of the state chief electoral officer. The website saw a number of orders, or Government Resolutions (GRs), uploaded even after the model code of conduct came into effect on Tuesday following the announced of the state assembly polls schedule by the Election Commission of India. Asked about it, additional chief electoral officer Kiran Kulkarni said, "We have asked departments to remove the GRs uploaded on the government website after 3.30 pm on Tuesday. It was at this time that the chief election commissioner announced the schedule for the Maharashtra legislative assembly polls, and the model code of conduct came into effect immediately." The GRs, however, are not withdrawn (as only removed from the website) and their scrutiny will be done, the official said. "If the GRs are not violating the mo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his 'Mann Ki Baat' monthly radio broadcast will resume from June 30 and urged people to share their ideas and inputs for it. "Delighted to share that after a gap of some months due to the elections, #MannKiBaat is back! This month's programme will take place on Sunday, 30th June," he said in a post on X. "I call upon all of you to share your ideas and inputs for the same. Write on the MyGov Open Forum, NaMo App or record your message on 1800 11 7800," Modi said. Prime Minister Modi's monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast was last aired on February 25 and then took a break for the Lok Sabha polls. In the 110th episode of the programme, Modi had asked first-time voters to poll in record numbers in the elections and said their maiden vote should be cast for the country. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines of the Election Commission asks governments to not use official events or public-funded platforms for something that may be seen to gi