Context

• B.R. Ambedkar’s observation that even the finest Constitution can fail in the hands of those who administer it captures a timeless truth about governance: laws are only as effective as the integrity of those who implement them.
• This insight applies with equal force to India’s Model Code of Conduct (MCC), a moral and procedural framework meant to guide political parties and candidates during elections.
• Though designed to uphold fairness and probity, the MCC’s repeated violations expose deep flaws in both political ethics and institutional enforcement.

The Nature and Purpose of the MCC

• The Model Code of Conduct is a consensus-based set of norms developed by political parties and enforced by the Election Commission of India (EC).
• Operational from the announcement of election dates until the declaration of results, the MCC seeks to maintain a level playing field between ruling and opposition parties.
• It prohibits the use of government machinery or public resources for electoral advantage, disallows new policy announcements, and restricts financial grants that could influence voters.
• Since its strict implementation in the 1990s and revision in 2013, the MCC has been central to India’s electoral ethos.
• Yet, as the text reveals, its moral authority often clashes with the realpolitik of Indian elections.

The Problem of Enforcement and Political Circumvention

• A fundamental limitation of the MCC is that it is not legally enforceable. Its moral binding depends on the goodwill of political actors, an expectation often betrayed in practice.
• Violations related to hate speech or bribery can be pursued under existing criminal laws or the Representation of the People Act (1951), but the timing of welfare schemes or project announcements falls into a grey zone.
• As the author aptly notes, politicians have mastered the art of circumventing the code.
• The Shakespearean phrase more honoured in the breach than in the observance finds a disturbing resonance here: the MCC, intended as a moral compass, has become a ritualistic document honoured largely in rhetoric.

Case Study: Cash Politics and the Bihar Example

• The launch of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana (MMRY) in Bihar in 2025 exemplifies this subversion.
• Announced barely weeks before the elections, the scheme disburses ₹10,000 to women for self-employment, an initiative that, though beneficial in itself, becomes ethically dubious when rolled out during the election period.
• The ruling party’s justification that it was an ongoing scheme underscores how welfare policies can be weaponised for electoral gain.
• Such practices blur the line between social welfare and electoral inducement, eroding public trust and transforming democracy into a cash-mediated transaction.

Institutional Response and Reform Debates

• While some advocate making the MCC legally binding, the Election Commission has resisted the idea, citing the short duration of election periods and the slow pace of judicial proceedings.
• The text rightly observes that even if the code were made enforceable, political ingenuity and opportunism would likely find new ways around it.
• This raises a deeper question: can ethics be legislated?
• It may be better to scrap unenforceable provisions rather than preserve a façade of morality, reflects both frustration and realism.
• It also strengthens the case for simultaneous elections, reducing the frequency of MCC restrictions that currently paralyse governance.

Conclusion

• The repeated breaches of the Model Code of Conduct underscore a profound moral crisis in Indian politics.
• The MCC, conceived as a guardian of electoral fairness, risks becoming an empty ritual unless political morality itself is revitalised.
• Ultimately, the health of a democracy depends not merely on codes and commissions, but on the ethical conviction of its leaders and the vigilance of its citizens.
• Until that moral awakening occurs, the MCC will remain a noble document trapped in a cynical political reality.