BEIJING -- China punished 9,537 officials in March for violating the country's eight-point code on improving Party and government conduct, China's top anti-graft body said in a statement on Sunday.

The officials were involved in 6,504 cases, according to the monthly statement by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, posted on its official website.

Among the punished officials, 5,855 received disciplinary or administrative penalties for engaging in bureaucratism, formalities for formalities' sake, and hedonism or extravagant practices.

In late 2012, the CPC released its eight-point rules on frugality to combat undesirable work practices.