1.3k tenders issued in poll-bound states in 48 hours after model code kicked in

West Bengal alone accounts for over 865 tenders, followed by Kerala (284), Assam (96) and Tamil Nadu (89)

New Delhi : In the first 48 hours after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect on March 15, 2026, government departments across poll-bound states rushed through over 1,300 tenders, Hindustan Times’ has found — raising serious questions about whether election rules are being openly disregarded. The government tenders, uploaded on March 16 and 17 across West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Tamil Nadu, cover routine development work — the very category the MCC is meant to freeze during

People during an election rally at Baruipur in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district in January. (PTI)