Election manifesto
Also called: Manifesto · Topic: Political Parties, Party Systems and Anti-defection · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 7 "Elections"
Meaning
An election manifesto is a party's published programme before an election. It sets out what the party promises to do if voters elect it. Manifestos help parties reduce "a vast multitude of opinions into a few basic positions" that voters can compare. Part VIII of the Model Code of Conduct (2014) says a manifesto must explain why each promise is made and how it will be paid for.
Example
Before a Lok Sabha election, each major party releases a manifesto. If a manifesto promises a new welfare scheme, it is expected to say how the scheme will be funded.
Don't confuse with
- Model Code of Conduct: these are the Election Commission's rules on how parties and candidates must behave during elections. The manifesto is the party's own document. The Code only sets guidelines for what the manifesto must explain.