ECI extends Model Code restrictions to retired officials re-employed by governments
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed that retired government officials re-employed or engaged by State and Union Territory governments must follow the same political neutrality rules as serving government employees during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) period.
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed that retired government officials re-employed or engaged by State and Union Territory governments must follow the same political neutrality rules as serving government employees during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) period.
The directive, issued on November 10, follows complaints about the alleged misuse of official positions by some re-employed retired officials during election periods. The Commission has written to the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of five poll-bound states — Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
According to the instructions, such officials must not participate in election campaigns, canvass for candidates or political parties, or lend their names and official authority to support any political individual or organisation.
They are also prohibited from summoning election-related officers in constituencies or districts where elections have been announced for official meetings or discussions. Holding video conferences with such officers is also barred.
The ECI has directed the states to ensure strict compliance, warning that any violation or omission would be viewed seriously. It also reiterated that MCC provisions apply to organisations, committees, corporations and commissions funded wholly or partly by the government.
The move follows earlier ECI instructions issued ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, when restrictions were imposed on officials serving beyond retirement or re-employed in various capacities, barring their involvement in election-related work. The latest directive strengthens these safeguards by explicitly extending political neutrality requirements to re-employed retirees, aiming to prevent misuse of government authority and protect the fairness of the electoral process.
