PREFACE

• An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population

chooses an individual to hold public office.[1] Elections have been the usual
mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated since the
17th century.[1] Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the
executive and judiciary, and for regional and local government. This process is also
used in many other private and business organizations, from clubs to voluntary
associations and corporations. The universal use of elections as a tool for selecting
representatives in modern representative democracies is in contrast with the
practice in the democratic archetype, ancient Athens, where the Elections were
not used were considered an oligarchic institution and most political offices were
filled using sortition, also known as allotment, by which officeholders were chosen
by lot. Electoral reform describes the process of introducing fair electoral systems
where they are not in place, or improving the fairness or effectiveness of existing
systems. Psephology is the study of results and other statistics relating to elections
(especially with a view to predicting future results). To elect means "to choose or
make a decision", and so sometimes other forms of ballot such as referendums are
referred to as elections, especially in the United States.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep
sense of gratitude to all those people without whom
this project could have never been completed. First and
foremost I would like to thank my Parents for their
inexhaustible source of inspiration.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Mr. Ajay Dhiman
(MD) SR Institute Baijnath for his constant guidance and
providing a very nice platform to learn.
I would also like to thank Sunil Sir (our Trainer) for his
constant encouragement and moral support, without
which I could have never been able to give in my best.
 INDEX

• ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION
• ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA
• A MULTI MEMBER COMMISSION
• COMMISSION SECRETRAIT
• ELECTIONS MACHINERY IN STATES
• RIGHT TO VOTE
• OTHER NEW INITIATIVES
• GALLERY
• ELECTION PROCESS
• BUDGET
• SCHEDULE OF ELECTIONS
• WHO CAN CONTEST
• END
Elections of India
Electoral Administration - Framework

• Election Commission of India – The Indian

Constitution provides for its creation.
• Appointment of CEC and ECs
• Right to vote to all above 18 years of age
• Bicameral Composition of Parliament
• Composition of State Legislatures
• Delimitation of constituencies after each census
• Duration of each House
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 Election Commission of India
– Constitutional Provision
Article 324 (1) - The superintendence,
direction and control of the preparation of
the electoral rolls for, and the conduct of,
all elections to Parliament and to the
Legislature of every State and of elections
to the offices of President and Vice-
President held under this Constitution shall
be vested in the Election Commission.

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 A Multi-Member Commission
– Constitutional Position

Article 324 (2) – The Election Commission shall

consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and such
number of other Election Commissioners, if any, as
the President may from time to time fix and the
appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and
other Election Commissioners shall, subject to the
provisions of any law made in that behalf by
Parliament, be made by the President. Article 324 (3)
– When any other Election Commissioner is so
appointed the Chief Election Commissioner shall act
as the Chairman of the Election Commission. 8
 A Multi-Member Commission
• From Jan 1950 to mid Oct 1989 – A single Member
Commission headed by a Chief Election Commissioner.
(Argument put forward was that decisions need to be taken
expeditiously when election process is on. And, a single
member Commission would be more suited for it)
• From Oct 16, 1989 till Dec 1989 – It was a Three Member
Commission.
• From Jan 1990 to Sep 1993 – A Single Member Commission.
• From Oct 1993 till today – A Three Member Commission.
(The Chief Election Commissioner and Two Election
Commissioners)

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 Commission’s Secretariat
• Deputy Election Commissioners – 03
• Directors(Admn. And IT) – 01
• Secretaries (Zonals and Specifics)– 10
• Under Secretaries – 12
• Jt Director + OSD (IT) – 02
• Assistant Director (Stats.) – 02
• Section Officers – 33
• Assistants & others – 275

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 Election Machinery in States
• Chief Electoral Officers – 35
• District Election Officers – 601
• Returning Officers (Parliament) – 543
• Returning Officers (Assembly) – 4120
• Asstt. Returning Officers (Parliament) – 4600
• Asstt. Returning Officers (Assembly) – 10,000
• Electoral Registration Officers – 4120
• Asstt. Electoral Registration Officers - 4800

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 Right to Vote
• Any citizen over 18 can vote can vote
• Voting right denied to certain class of people:
– criminal convicts of certain class
– person convicted of electoral offence
– person of unsound mind
– There is no compulsion to vote
• Voting statistics
– 57.94% in 1996
– 61.97% in 1998
– 59.01% in 1999
– 58.07% in 2004

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 Other New Initiatives
• Use of Electronic Voting Machines
• Free time on state owned Electronic media for political parties - a step
towards state funding of elections
• Check on criminalization of politics
• Computer networking and use of Information Technology
• Computerization of Electoral rolls
• Photo I-Cards
• Electoral rolls with photograph
• E-registration of electors
• Publishing national voter register on the EC website with a credible
search mechanism
• Use of the GIS in electoral management
• Simplifying maintenance of accounts by candidates
• Simplifying filing of accounts
• Streamlining procedure for registration
• Model Code of Conduct

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 Photo Gallery – Elections

Officials at distribution Officials checking EVMs Officials carrying EVMs and

center and polling materials polling materials

A group of Villagers with EPI Electors going to exercise their An Elector familiarizing
cards Officials carrying EVMs Franchise himself regarding
and polling materials functioning of EVM
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 Photo Gallery – Elections

An elder on way to cast Electors waiting in Q Indelible ink being marked

her vote on elector’s finger

Physically Chief Election

challenged casting Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam,
Commissioner
her vote Hon’ble President of 15
casting his vote
India after casting his
Representation
 The Political Process
Elections Government

LAWS AND POLICIES

Interest Executive
Groups
Demands
INTERESTS

Political
Assembly
Parties

Supports
Media Judiciary

Social impact of laws and policies

SOCIETY THE STATE

 Budget and Expenditure

• Voted budget
• Independent Budget finalised in consultation with
Finance Ministry
• Funds for Conduct of elections reflected in the
budget of States/UTs
• Only Parliament election - Funded entirely by Centre
• Only Assembly election - Funded by the State
• Simultaneous election - Expenses shared equally
• Expenditure on capital equipment shared equally
• Expenditure on electoral rolls, PICs also shared
equally
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 When Elections take place?
• Term of Parliament & Assembly - 5years (except J & K
Assembly where it is 6 years)
• House can be dissolved before its term ends
• Dates decided by the Commission. No consultation done with
any Government
• Commission can call for elections six months prior to the date
on which normal tenure of Assembly or Parliament expires.
• 14 General elections since 1952.
• Bye-elections when a seat falls vacant. Normally held within
6-months of vacancy. No Bye-elections if vacancy for less than
one year

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 Scheduling of Elections
• No more than 6-month gap between last session of
Parliament/Assembly and recalling of new House
• Elections to fall within this period
• Number of considerations in scheduling:
– Weather
– Law & order
– Movement of Central police forces
– Agricultural cycles
– Festivals
– Exam schedules
– Public holidays
– Logistical requirements

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 Who can Contest?
• Any citizen over 25 years for Lok Sabha & Vidhan Sabha
• Any citizen over 30 years for Rajya sabha & Vidhan Parishad
• For Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha candidate- registered voter in any
state
• For Vidhan Sabha & Vidhan Parishad- registered voter only in
that state
• Candidate should not be convicted or disqualified otherwise
• Security deposit:
– Rs.10,000/ for Lok Sabha
– Rs. 5000/- for Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha & Vidhan Parishad
– SC & ST candidates pay half the amount
– Deposit returned if candidate secures more than 1/6th of
valid votes
• Nominations need to be proposed by electors:
– one for candidate of national/state party
– ten for others
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