News Analysis India

Tag: Election Commission of India

  • Modi 3.0: Akhilesh Yadav takes jibe at Modi 3.0, says “government stuck in limbo…”

    LUCKNOW: Ahead of Narendra Modi being sworn in as Prime Minister for the third consecutive term on Sunday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at Modi 3.0, stating that a government stuck in limbo is not a government.In a post in Hindi on social media platform X the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote, “Upar se juda koi taar nahin, neeche koi adhaar nahin, adhar mein joh ataki hue woh toh koi sarkaar nahin (The government stuck in limbo is not a government).”Newly elected members of parliament who are among those probable to be included in the new Cabinet and Council of Ministers of Narendra Modi-led government were on Sunday afternoon invited for high tea at the Prime Minister’s residence ahead of the oath-taking ceremony later this evening.Modi will be sworn in as the Prime Minister of India for a historic third time today at 7:15 pm.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesBJP leaders Nirmala Sitharaman and Sarbananda Sonowal were seen arriving at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, the residence of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi to attend the tea meeting.BJP leaders Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Manohar Lal Khattar, Shivraj Singh Chouhan were among others who arrived for the tea meeting.The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) unanimously passed a resolution to elect Narendra Modi as their leader on June 5.Earlier on June 9, according to sources in the Samajwadi Party, seven SP MLAs, including Chief Whip Manoj Pandey, surprised the party by supporting the BJP’s candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections.

    Following this, Yadav has initiated steps to revoke the membership of these seven MLAs, for which an official letter is also being prepared by the party, which will soon be submitted to the UP Legislative Assembly Speaker by the Samajwadi Party.

    The list of these seven MLAs includes Rakesh Pratap Singh from Amethi Gauriganj, Manoj Pandey from Raebareli Unchahar, Rakesh Pandey from Ambedkarnagar, Pooja Pal from Prayag, Vinod Chaturvedi, Ashutosh Verma, and Abhay Singh.

    According to the Election Commission of India, the Samajwadi Party (SP) won 37 seats, the BJP won 33, Congress won 6, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won 2, and Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) and Apna Dal (Soneylal) won 1 seat each in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)

  • Jammu & Kashmir: After high voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls, CEC now ‘encouraged’ to ‘go for assembly polls at the earliest’

    The Election Commission of India is “encouraged” by high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir and will move towards holding assembly polls in the Union Territory “at the earliest”, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar has said.In a first such statement, the CEC told ET that ECI was “heartened” and “more confident” of holding polls in the Union Territory and would start work on it right after the Lok Sabha elections.”The commission is encouraged to go for assembly polls in the Union Territory at the earliest possible. For the same, the process will be initiated soon after parliamentary elections,” Kumar told ET.”While I would like to thank the electors of J&K for coming out to vote, they have also sent out a clear message. The people of J&K are eager to exercise their franchise and feel invested in the democratic ethos and system of governance. The poll panel is deeply encouraged by the voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls and will work towards holding assembly polls at the earliest,” he said.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe CEC’s reaction came hours after Baramulla parliamentary constituency reported a record turnout on Monday. Phase 4 turnout in Srinagar constituency at 38.49% was highest in many decades.In his March 16 press conference when schedules for Lok Sabha elections were announced, CEC had asserted that ECI was committed to holding assembly polls in J&K soon after the parliamentary polls and before the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court.

  • Lok Sabha polls: EC asks political parties to share details of aircraft, helicopters used in campaigning

    The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked political parties to furnish details of aircraft and helicopters being used for campaigning, including their origin and destination and details of people ferried in them. A letter by Tejas Samel, deputy election officer of Mumbai Suburban district, dated April 12, said such information has to be furnished three days before the journey to the district election office, but that duration has now been reduced to 24 hours.

    “We are sending a revised letter on April 17. Instead of three days, they have to inform us 24 hours in advance,” Samel told PTI on Tuesday night.

    The details should also include the make of the aircraft/helicopter and people travelling in them. The letter said this information has to be furnished under the Model Code of Conduct in force for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, which has to be sent to the ECI.

    Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, which has 48 seats, will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20.

  • BJP govt subverting democracy and Constitution: Opposition leaders

    New Delhi: In a show of strength and unity, the INDIA bloc came together at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday and blew the poll bugle for Lok Sabha elections with a scathing attack on Narendra Modi government, accusing it of subverting democracy and Constitution.

    All major Opposition leaders – Sonia Gandhi, son Rahul, daughter Priyanka, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Uddhav Thackerary, son Aditya, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Champai Soren – came together at ‘Loktantra Bachao Rally’ to press for the release of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Jharkhand’s former CM Hemant Soren.

    Kejriwal’s March 21 arrest is the immediate trigger for the entire Opposition to come together, but the finer optics of the rally went far beyond. For starters, Trinamool Congress, which could not hammer out a seat-sharing pact with the Congress in West Bengal, came out strongly in support of the INDIA bloc, with leader Derek O’Brien stating that his party “was, is and will be with INDIA bloc”. Sonia, who has been keeping away from most public engagements, made a rare appearance and sat next to Kejriwal’s wife Sunita to show her support. Two chairs were kept empty on the stage for Kejriwal and Soren to emphasise that Opposition leaders’ arrest by central investigative agencies was the central point of the rally.The Opposition put forth following demands to the Election Commission of India: A level playing field before elections, efforts to forcefully scuttle Opposition parties’ finances should be immediately stopped, action by ED, CBI and the Income-Tax department should be stopped and a Supreme Court-monitored special investigation team should probe the electoral bonds scheme.

    Wife reads Kejriwal messageThe rally, which was organised by AAP to garner support for its jailed national convenor, saw emotions run high when Sunita carried a message from her husband and read it out. Striking an instant chord with the crowd, she said BJP wanted her husband to resign as CM and asked the crowd if he should. As supporters responded in the negative, Sunita said she believed her husband was a “lion” and “they won’t be able to keep him in jail for too long”. Her voice choked with emotion as she said that though her husband had not taken the permission of other INDIA bloc partners, he wanted to give six guarantees on behalf of the Opposition.

    The guarantees included 24×7 power across the country, free electricity to the poor, constructing excellent government schools in every village and neighbourhood, establishing mohalla clinic in every village, ensuring fair price for crops to farmers as given in Swaminathan Commission report and full statehood for Delhi.MODI trying to fix polls: RahulSenior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi warned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was desperately trying to “fix” elections, the way sometimes cricket matches are fixed. Pointing out the way cricket matches are fixed by various methods like appointing umpires of choice, buying out players and intimidating captains, same way Modi appointed election commissioners of his choice, was trying to pressurise judiciary and had jailed two chief ministers, Soren and Kejriwal, just ahead of elections. He said all bank accounts of Congress had been frozen right at the start of the election process in a clear attempt to prevent it from campaigning.

    Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray gave a catchy slogan to counter BJP’s call of “is baar chaar sau paar”. He said this time it should be “is baar BJP tadi paar” (throw out BJP this time). Tejashwi said the way BJP was showing confidence that it would cross 400, it seemed that it had already tampered with electronic voting machines (EVMs). The rally came on a day Modi flagged off BJP’s campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh, however, appeared confident. “I have heard that people from Delhi are outside today somewhere. This is an indication of the times to come. People will throw him out of Delhi very soon,” he said.

  • Election Commission issues notification for first phase of Lok Sabha elections

    The Election Commission of India on Wednesday issued the notification for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 to be conducted on April 19.

    In the notification, the ECI informed that March 28 will be the last date for filing nominations for Bihar and March 27 for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

    “March 30 will be the date for scrutiny of nominations for Bihar and March 28 for others,” the notification said.According to the ECI’s notification, April 2 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidatures for Bihar and March 30 for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry;

    “June 6, the date before which the election shall be completed in all the above-mentioned parliamentary constituencies,” the notification read.

    Elections will be held in 102 Lok Sabha seats in 17 States and Four Union Territories in this phase.39 seats in Tamil Nadu, 12 in Rajasthan, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, and 6 in Madhya Pradesh will go to polls in the first phase.Along with them, five seats in Uttarakhand, Assam and Maharashtra, four seats in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and one seat in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry will also go to polls on April 19.

    The Election Commission on March 16, announced the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    The polling will be conducted in seven phases across the nation from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes will be on June 4.

  • Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Voting In Seven Phases Starting April 19, Counting On June 4; Check State-Wise Polling Date |

    The Election Commission of India today announced the dates for the 18th Lok Sabha Elections ending the days of wait for the political parties and the voters. Announcing the dates, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that the polling for the 543 Parliamentary seats across India will be held in 7 phases starting April 19. The counting of votes will take place in June 4. With this, the model code of conduct has come into effect across the country. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that there are over 96.8 crore registered voters including 49.7 crore male and 47.1 crore female. This includes 19.74 crore young voters. There are over 82 lakh voters aged over 85 and over 1.8 crore young voters or first time voters. The election commission also announced bypolls for 26 assebly constituencies across state. Simultaneous assembly elections will also be held in states like Sikkim, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. The Election Commission also announced poll dates for Jammu and Kashmir. The Union Territory will go to the Lok Sabha polls for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. 

    Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will vote on May 13 while Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will vote on April 19. The coungin will be held on June 4. In phase 1 of the Lok Sabha elections, northeastern states, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand will go to the polls. 

    Phase-1: April 19- 102 Seats – 21 States
    Phase-2: April 26 – 89 Seats – 13 States
    Phase-3: May 7 – 94 Seats – 12 States
    Phase-4: May 13 – 96 Seats – 10 States
    Phase-5: May 20 – 49 Seats – 8 States
    Phase-6: May 25 – 57 Seats – 7 States
    Phase-7: June 1 – 57 Seats – 8 States

    Result Day: June 4

    States Voting In Single Phase 

    Arunachal Pradesh, Andamana Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra And Nagar Haveli, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, Uttarakhand

    States Voting In Two Phases: Karnataka, Rajasthan Tripura, Manipur

    States Voting In Three Phases: Chhattisgarh, Assam

    States Voting In Four Phases: Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand

    States Voting In Five Phases: Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir

    States Voting In Seven Phases: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal

    Below is the state wise Lok Sabha Seats for the Parliamentary Elections 2024:  

    Andhra Pradesh – 25 Seats
    Arunchal Pradesh – 2 Seats 
    Assam – 14 Seats 
    Bihar – 40 Seats
    Chhattisgarh – 11 Seats
    Goa – 2 Seats 
    Gujarat – 26 Seats
    Haryana – 10 Seats
    Himachal Pradesh – 4 Seats 
    Jharkhand -14 Seats 
    Karnataka – 28 Seats
    Kerala – 20 Seats 
    Madhya Pradesh – 29 Seats 
    Maharashtra – 48 Seats 
    Manipur – 2 Seats 
    Meghalaya – 2 Seats 
    Mizoram – 1 Seat 
    Nagaland – 1 Seat 
    Odisha – 21 Seats 
    Punjab – 13 Seats 
    Rajasthan – 25 Seats
    Sikkim – 1 Seat 
    Tamil Nadu – 39 Seats
    Tripura – 2 Seats
    Uttarakhand – 5 Seats 
    Uttar Pradesh – 80 Seats 
    West Bengal – 42 Seats

    Andaman and Nicobar – 1 Seat 
    Dadra and Nagar Haveli – 1 Seat
    Daman and Diu – 1 Seat 
    Jammu and Kashmir – 6 Seats 
    Chandigarh – 1 Seat 
    Delhi – 7 Seats

    In 2019, Lok Sabha elections were held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19 and the results were declared on May 23. The first phase of polls was held on April 11, the second on April 18, the third on April 23, the fourth on April 29, the fifth on May 6, the sixth on May 12 and the seventh on May 19.

  • J&K Assembly Polls Soon After Lok Sabha Elections: CEC Rajiv Kumar |

    NEW DELHI: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, on Saturday said that assembly elections in J&K will be held soon. CEC Rajiv Kumar, while addressing a press conference, stated that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held soon after the Lok Sabha polls.

    Speaking to reporters, CEC Rajiv Kumar addressed the issue of holding simultaneous central and state elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Kumar cited security concerns as a primary obstacle, leading the poll panel to deem it unfeasible at this time. However, he emphasized the panel’s dedication to conducting elections in the region, assuring that they would proceed following the Lok Sabha polls.

    Kumar highlighted the consensus among all parties in J&K regarding the desire for Assembly elections to coincide with parliamentary polls. Despite this shared sentiment, logistical challenges presented a significant hurdle. The sheer number of candidates expected in each Assembly segment, averaging between 10 to 12, would necessitate substantial security arrangements. Kumar explained that accommodating over 1,000 candidates would be impractical given the existing constraints.

    Nevertheless, Kumar reaffirmed the commitment of the poll panel to facilitate elections in J&K. He assured that once the current electoral processes conclude, the panel would prioritize holding polls in the region. This statement underscores the panel’s acknowledgement of the importance of democratic participation in J&K, despite the complexities involved in ensuring a secure and efficient electoral process.

    Importantly, the Lok Sabha elections in J&K will be held in five phases – April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 2. 

    The CEC also announced the dates for polls for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, which will be held in 7 phases starting from April 19. Phase 1 voting will be held on April 19, Phase 2 voting will be held on April 26, Phase 3 voting will be held on May 7, Phase 4 voting will be held on May 13, Phase 5 voting will be on May 20, Phase 6 voting will take place on May 25 and Phase 7 voting will be held on June 1. Counting of votes will be held on 4 June.

    Lok Sabha Election 2024 Full Schedule

    Phase 1 voting will be held on April 19, Phase 2 voting will be held on April 26, Phase 3 voting will be held on May 7, Phase 4 voting will be held on May 13,
    Phase 5 voting will be on May 20, Phase 6 voting will take place on May 25 and Phase 7 voting will be held on June 1. The results will be announced on June 4.

    With the formal announcement of the 2024 Lok Sabha election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has also come into effect across the country. It may be noted that the tenure of the present Lok Sabha ends on June 16 and a new House must be constituted before that. In 2019, the general elections were held over seven phases from April 11 to May 19, with results declared four days later. The BJP-led National Democratic (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, leaving the grand-old party behind at 52 seats, in the 2019 general elections. 

    Total 96.8 Crore Voters Eligible To Cast Votes: CEC 

    A total of 96.8 crore voters will be eligible to cast their vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference here to announce the dates of Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls to four states, Rajiv Kumar said there will be 10.5 lakh polling stations and 1.5 crore polling officials and security staff will be deployed to conduct the elections in the world’s largest democracy.

    “We are committed to giving the nation a truly festive, democratic environment. The term of the 17th Lok Sabha is due to expire on 16th June 2024. The terms of the Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim are also due to expire in June 2024. Elections are due in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
    Kumar said approximately 49.7 crore voters are male and 47.1 crore voters are female.

    “We have 1.8 crore first-time voters and 19.47 crore voters between the age group of 20-29 years,” he said, adding that 88.4 lakh voters are of PwD category, 2.18 lakhs are centenarians and 48,000 are transgenders.

  • EC issues notice to Rahul Gandhi over ‘Panauti’ and ‘Jebkatra’ jibe on PM Modi: ‘Be more cautious…’ – The Economic Times Video

    Amid preparations by various political parties for the Lok Sabha election, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued an advisory to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to be cautious in his public utterances, sources said. They said ECI has advised the Congress leader to be “more careful and cautious” in his public utterances in the future. The Delhi High Court had earlier asked the ECI to take appropriate action against the Congress MP for his speech in November last year in which he used the expression ‘pickpocket’ while attacking BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Election Commission had also issued notice to Rahul Gandhi over his ‘panauti and pickpocket’ jibes at PM Modi.

  • Avoid Remarks Like ‘Pickpocket’, ‘Panauti’: EC’s Advisory To Rahul Gandhi Ahead Of Lok Sabha Polls |

    NEW DELHI: As political parties gear up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has reportedly issued an advisory to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urging him to exercise caution in his public statements.

    Delhi High Court’s Directive

    The advisory comes in response to the Delhi High Court’s directive to the ECI to take appropriate action against Rahul Gandhi for his speech in November of the previous year. In the said speech, he used terms like ‘pickpocket’ while criticizing BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    The Election Commission had previously issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi regarding his use of ‘panauti and pickpocket’ remarks directed at PM Modi. The sources reveal that the ECI reiterated its advisory on March 1 of the current year, emphasizing its importance during the ongoing campaign.

     

    Election Commission of India (ECI) issues an advisory to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. After considering all facts in the matter related to certain remarks against Prime Minister, including Delhi High Court order and his reply, the Election Commission of India has advised him to be…


    — ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2024

     

    “After considering all facts, including the Delhi High Court order and Rahul Gandhi’s reply, the Election Commission of India has advised the Congress leader to be more careful and cautious in the future,” stated a source.

    Exercise Restraint, Maintain Decorum: EC To Parties

    In light of the declining standards of political discourse in recent elections, the Election Commission issued an advisory last week to all political parties. The advisory stressed the need to maintain decorum, exercise utmost restraint in public campaigning, and elevate election campaigning to an “issue-based” debate.

    The Election Commission will assess any indirect violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) based on the advisory. This assessment will serve as a fair basis to rework notices considering time and content for the upcoming elections.

    CEC Stresses On Ethical Discourse

    Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar recently emphasized the importance of ethical and respectful political discourse. He urged political parties to inspire rather than divide and promote ideas instead of resorting to personal attacks.

    Notice To ‘Star Campaigners’ And Candidates

    The Election Commission has put ‘star campaigners’ and candidates on notice, warning of consequences in case of violations. This proactive measure aims to prevent breaches of the Model Code of Conduct during the electoral process for the Lok Sabha and four state Legislative assemblies.

  • ‘Follow Model Code Of Conduct’: EC’s Advisory To Political Parties Ahead Of 2024 Lok Sabha Polls |

    NEW DELHI: In an effort to address the declining standards of political campaign discourse witnessed in recent elections, the Election Commission of India has issued a crucial advisory to all political parties. The advisory emphasizes the need to maintain decorum, exercise utmost restraint in public campaigning, and elevate the discourse to focus on issue-based debates.

    Notice To Star Campaigners And Candidates: EC Warns Of Stern Measures

    The Election Commission has put ‘Star Campaigners’ and candidates on notice, cautioning against violations that may breach the Model Code of Conduct. The commission’s meticulous approach aims to assess any indirect violations based on advisory guidelines, providing a fair basis for issuing notices in terms of time and content for the upcoming elections.

     

    Ahead of LS polls, EC asks parties to maintain decorum and utmost restraint, raise level of election campaign to issue-based debate
    — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 1, 2024

     

    EC To Watch Repeat Offences

    For the upcoming general election to the Lok Sabha and four state Legislative assemblies, the Election Commission will consider “repeat” offences across all phases and geographical areas. This approach aims to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of campaign conduct, discouraging parties from flouting ethical standards repeatedly.

    CEC Urges Responsible Political Dialogue

    Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has underscored the importance of fostering ethical and respectful political discourse. Encouraging parties to inspire rather than divide and promote ideas over personal attacks, Kumar’s statements align with the proactive advisory, setting the stage for a more civil and issue-focused 2024 General Election.

     

    Star campaigners, candidates who have received notices in past will face stern action for repeat violation of model code: EC advisory
    — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 1, 2024

     

    Balancing Freedom of Expression And Level Playing Field

    While recognizing the need to balance freedom of expression and maintain a level playing field, the advisory notes the Election Commission’s self-restrained approach. The commission’s notices aim to serve as moral censure, encouraging responsible conduct without outright prohibitions to minimize disruptions to campaigning activities.

    EC Acknowledges IT And Social Media Impact

    The advisory acknowledges the challenges posed by the evolving landscape of information technology and social media platforms. It recognizes the blurred lines between pre-MCC and the 48-hour silence period, urging political parties, leaders, and candidates to adhere to the Model Code of Conduct and legal framework to prevent surrogate or indirect violations.

     

    Social media posts vilifying or insulting rivals, posts that are in bad taste or below dignity not to be shared: EC advisory before LS polls
    — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 1, 2024

     

    Responsibility Of Star Campaigners To Uphold Ethical Standards

    Designated as “star campaigners” under Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, political party leaders delivering speeches during rallies enjoy privileges but bear the responsibility of upholding the highest ethical standards. The advisory reinforces the harmonious and purposeful construction of the Model Code of Conduct and statutory provisions, emphasizing ethical conduct during election campaigns.