The chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi believes that the governance of polls needs only a strengthening of the existing model code of conduct. He said that the code did not need a statutory backing. Instead, it needed some "fine-tuning" to be more effective in the present context.

Keeping the election code a matter of good faith has proved effective so far, as evidenced in the matter of the covering of the elephant statues and in the Salman Khurdhid–quota for Muslims controversy.

However, it is also prone to violations given the fact that it is a mere list of guidelines the compliance of which remains at the discretion of our politicians. At the same time some of the orders of the EC under the model code of conduct can be called downright frivolous and counter-prouctive. So, would the strengthening of the model code also entail an empowering of the whims of the poll body?

Given these considerations, do you think that the model code of conduct needs strengthening? Or does it need a statutory backing? Should the compliance be left a matter of discretion? Post your thoughts.