Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 18 : Kerala Leader of Opposition (LoP) and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan on Wednesday wrote to state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U Kelkar alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) following the announcement of the upcoming assembly elections.
He alleged that hoardings and advertisements highlighting the achievements and schemes of the Left government continue to be displayed prominently across different parts of Kerala.
"It is particularly alarming that such promotional materials remain visible on KSRTC buses as well as in various public spaces, which is in clear violation of the guidelines requiring the prompt removal of all government publicity once the Model Code of Conduct is enforced," Satheesan wrote to Rathan U Kelkar.
Satheesan said that the continued presence of these advertisements creates an "uneven playing field" and has the "potential to influence voters, thereby compromising the fairness of the electoral process".
He urged the Election Commission (EC) to take immediate action to remove all such advertisements from public spaces, including KSRTC buses, and to initiate appropriate proceedings against those responsible for this violation.
"Additionally, strict monitoring mechanisms may be implemented to prevent any further breaches," he added.
The MCC is a set of guidelines that is issued by the ECI for candidates and political parties during elections. The code comes into effect as soon as the election schedule is announced.
The MCC prohibits the government from introducing any new grounds for projects or public initiatives. It also bans the government from putting up banners and posters highlighting government achievements.
The 2026 Kerala legislative assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, the ECI announced on Sunday, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 4.
The tenure of the current assembly is scheduled to end on May 23, 2026.
Both the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led UDF seek to unseat the incumbent Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led LDF and gain control of the 140-member assembly. The LDF-led government has governed the state for around a decade.