New Delhi: Over 1,300 government tenders were issued in the first 48 hours after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) kicked in, sparking concerns about election rules being disregarded.
The tenders, uploaded on March 16 and 17 across poll-bound states, cover routine development work, including roads, drains, hospitals, and stadiums.
West Bengal alone accounts for over 865 tenders, followed by Kerala (284), Assam (96), and Tamil Nadu (89).
The Election Commission of India has promised strict action against officials responsible for issuing the tenders, which appear to run directly against MCC guidelines.
Part VII of the MCC bars governments from announcing or initiating tender processes without explicit permission from the Commission.
The same pattern was observed in 2021, with 325 tenders uploaded within the first 48 hours, but the number has surged to over 1,334 in 2026.
The issue raises concerns about possible infractions of Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which treats the use of public funds and government machinery to influence voters as a corrupt practice.
