EC’s new mantra: Preventive steps, not punitive action

The Election Commission (EC) has issued show-cause notices to politicians, political parties, and the Karnataka government over violations of the model code of conduct. However, the EC’s silence on the outcome of these notices is a deliberate strategy to encourage politicians to correct their behavior without resorting to punitive action. The EC believes that the publicity surrounding the notices puts the respondents on the backfoot and serves as a deterrent for indecent public discourse.