The Election Commission (EC) of India is a constitutional body responsible for administering election processes in the country. It is established under Article 324 of the Constitution of India.
Key Details:
- Chairman: Rajiv Kumar is the current (March 2024) Chief Election Commissioner.
- Members: Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar are currently (March 2024) serving as Election Commissioners.
Appointment:
- The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners are appointed by the President of India.
- They hold office for a term of six years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
- They can resign at any time or be removed before the expiry of their term on the same grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court.
Functions:
➤ The Election Commission is responsible for everything related to elections in the country, including the following key functions:
- Registering Political Parties: EC registers political parties for the purpose of elections and grants them the status of national or state parties based on their poll performance.
- Determining Electoral Constituencies: EC determines the territorial areas of electoral constituencies throughout the country.
- Recognition of Political Parties: EC grants recognition to political parties and allots election symbols to them.
- Conducting Elections: EC is responsible for conducting elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, the Office of President of India, and the Office of Vice President of India.
- Supervision and Control: EC supervises and controls the preparation of electoral rolls, as well as the conduct of elections and bye-elections.
- Advising and Supervising: EC advises the President or the Governor regarding disqualification of members of Parliament or State Legislatures.
- Election Code of Conduct: EC enforces the Model Code of Conduct during elections to ensure free and fair elections.
The Election Commission plays a crucial role in the democratic process of India by ensuring the integrity and fairness of elections.
