Delhi polls: Over 700 MCC violation cases in 20 days, over 22k arrested

- January 27, 2025
| By : Kushan Niyogi |

During the 2020 Assembly Elections, the Delhi Election Commission had recorded 1559 cases of Model Code of Conduct violations

Delhi: With the Assembly Elections slated to unfold on February 5, a wave of police activity has gripped the national capital to prevent unruly behaviour during the period. India’s elections, often marked by their intense and aggressive nature, have once again come under scrutiny as violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) take centre stage.

From weapons to drugs, Delhi Police has taken a proactive stance on violations, treating the issue with utmost seriousness to prevent untoward incidents. According to police data, there were 738 cases of alleged MCC violations between January 7 and 26. These cases include violations under the Arms Act, the Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and other laws.

During this period, authorities recovered 364 unlicensed arms, 445 cartridges, 61.6 thousand litres of liquor (under the Excise Act), 156.4 kg of drugs, Rs 6.3 crore in cash, and 37.3 kg of silver and 0.8 kg of gold. Consequently, 22,857 people have been arrested in connection with these violations.

Police efforts intensify

In comparison, during the 2020 Assembly Elections, the Election Commission of Delhi reported 1559 cases of MCC violations. Over the course of that election period, authorities seized more than 1 lakh litres of contraband under the Excise Act, 548 unlicensed arms, 775.3 kg of drugs, and Rs 6.5 crore in cash.

These operations have placed a significant burden on police personnel in Delhi, stretching resources thin. However, officials see the seizures as routine yet essential for maintaining law and order during elections. “Having as many seizures done before the elections is of the utmost importance at the moment. Almost all of the force has been deployed to combat such nefarious elements,” said a Crime Branch official.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Election Cell, Ram Dulesh Meena, said that the crackdowns during the elections have been especially successful. “The more the recoveries the better. At present, we have had a good record of seizures when it comes to the MCC violations,” Meena highlighted.

He added that the deployment amount is also at par with the guidelines of the Election Commission. “All of the Police branches have been put to task for the elections. There is no lapse in the number of deployed police personnel presently,” he said.

The purpose and scope of the MCC

The MCC, enforced by the Election Commission, aims to ensure a level playing field for all parties and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process. It includes ethical guidelines for political parties and candidates, regulating their behaviour during campaigns and polling.

The MCC governs various aspects of electoral conduct, including public meetings, processions, election manifestos, and polling procedures. Political parties must obtain prior permission for rallies, avoid inflammatory speeches, and refrain from personal attacks. They are prohibited from using bribery, intimidation, or coercion to influence votes, and election manifestos must prioritise public welfare over undue promises.

Although not legally enforceable, the MCC provides a moral framework for fair elections. Violations can result in warnings, censure, or, in severe cases, the cancellation of a candidate’s nomination.

2020 seizures: Key highlights

During the 2020 Assembly Elections, the police made significant recoveries. According to the data presented by the Delhi EC in 2020, most of the seizures were made by the Crime Branch—17.7 litres of liquor under the Excise Act, 25 unlicensed weapons under the Arms Act, and 560.3 kg of drugs under the NDPS Act. During the period of MCC implementation, 1,142 arrests were made.

The Outer North district seized the largest amount of liquor under the Excise Act, at 14.96 litres.

The Special Cell and South East district recovered the highest number of unlicensed weapons—95 and 56, respectively—while the West district seized the most drugs under the NDPS Act, at 74.7 kg. Meanwhile, the Central district confiscated Rs 1.8 crore in cash.

Also Read: Delhi elections: The plight of Delhi’s SC-reserved constituencies

A police official commented on the importance of these efforts: “Political parties go around distributing a lot of ‘merchandise’ as they deem fit. Ultimately, the job comes to us to restrain them and seize whatever they have. Their choice of weapon to get people to support them indiscriminately is liquor and cash. It is very obvious even if we look at the present statistics. Within the space of around 10 days, we have been able to seize over 25,000 litres of liquor already.”

Impact on vulnerable communities

The distribution of contraband and cash has a profound effect, particularly in unauthorised colonies and Jhuggi Jhopri clusters. Residents allege that political parties use these items as a form of currency to buy votes.

Sanjay Kumar, a resident of the Kondli constituency, accused a political party of distributing alcohol in his community.

“There are multiple ways in which parties try to infringe on communities to buy votes. Half of the smack itself is supplied through parties and people close to them. Whenever elections are near, issues take a backseat, and the distribution of alcohol and other substances turns into a currency to buy votes,” he said, adding that the flow of liquor had been unusually high in the past week.

Political controversy

In a controversial instance, Bharatiya Janata Party’s former West Delhi MP and current MLA candidate from New Delhi, Parvesh Verma, was caught distributing Rs 2,100 among women at his residence. Verma claimed it was monetary aid for destitute women registered with NGO Rashtriya Swabhiman Sansthan, established by his father, former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma.

As Delhi heads to the polls on February 5, the persistent issue of contraband distribution remains a critical concern for voters and law enforcement alike.