The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued the official notification for the upcoming general elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, marking the formal start of the electoral process in these regions.

According to a statement released on March 16 by the Press Information Bureau, the notifications issued by the ECI and the respective State and Union Territory administrations for Assam, Kerala and Puducherry have been published in their official gazettes. With the announcement of the election schedule on March 15, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into immediate effect in all the concerned States and Union Territory.

The ECI has issued directions to the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of the respective States and UT to ensure strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct. The MCC will also apply to the Central Government in matters related to announcements or policy decisions concerning the poll-bound states.

The Commission has instructed authorities to strictly enforce rules against defacement of government, public and private properties through posters, banners or other campaign materials. It has also directed officials to prevent misuse of official vehicles, government accommodation and other state resources by political parties, candidates or persons connected with the election process. Additionally, issuing advertisements at the cost of the public exchequer has been prohibited during the period of the Model Code of Conduct.

The ECI has emphasized the need to respect the privacy of citizens, stating that demonstrations or picketing outside private residences will not be permitted. Similarly, land, buildings or walls cannot be used for campaign materials such as flags or posters without the consent of the property owner.

To address complaints related to violations of the Model Code of Conduct, a complaint monitoring system has been activated. Members of the public and political parties can lodge complaints through the election helpline number 1950 with the concerned District Election Officer or Returning Officer.

Citizens can also report violations using the C-Vigil mobile application available on ECINET. To ensure swift action, more than 5,173 flying squads and over 5,200 Static Surveillance Teams have been deployed across the poll-bound states and union territory. These teams are tasked with responding to complaints within 100 minutes.

Political parties have also been directed to inform local police authorities in advance about meetings, rallies and processions to facilitate security and traffic management. They must obtain necessary permissions for the use of loudspeakers or other public facilities.

The Commission has also reiterated that ministers cannot combine official duties with election campaigning or use government machinery, vehicles or personnel for election-related activities.

Officials at all levels have been instructed to maintain neutrality while enforcing the Model Code of Conduct and to ensure equal treatment of all political parties. They have also been asked to regulate campaign activities, maintain law and order and ensure the smooth conduct of elections.

In addition, the SUVIDHA module has been activated on the ECINET platform, allowing political parties to apply online for permissions to use public spaces such as maidans and helipads for campaign activities. These permissions will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.