The Election Commission on Thursday lifted the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which had been in force across the five states that underwent Assembly elections and in five other states where bypolls were held to Assembly constituencies.

The MCC, which prescribes the norms political parties must follow after elections are announced, had been in place since March 15, soon after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the poll schedule.

The move comes following the announcement of the election results. However, the MCC will continue to remain in force in the Falta Assembly constituency in West Bengal, where the Commission has ordered fresh polling.

The results of the closely contested Assembly elections were announced on Monday. In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF secured an overwhelming majority, winning 102 seats. The LDF which had been in power since 2016, won only 35 seats, while the BJP managed to secure 3.

In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party, TVK, emerged victorious, while the BJP ended the TMC’s 15-year rule in West Bengal. Meanwhile, Assam and Puducherry saw incumbent governments retain power, with the NDA returning to office in both regions.