Electoral System in India

Election is a complex exercise, it involves schedules rules and machinery, the voting procedure, filing of nominations, their scrutiny and the campaigns carried out by the parties and the candidates before actual polling. Election Commission is for electoral system in India and suggestions for electoral reforms.

Election Commission of India

  • Election Commission of India which is responsible for superintendence direction and control of all elections.
  • It is responsible for conducting elections to both the Houses of Parliament and State Legislatures and for the offices of President and Vice-President.
  • It is also responsible for the preparation revision, updating and maintenance of lists of voters.

Composition

The Election Commission consists of the Chief Election Commissioner and a larger number of other officials.

Tenure and Removal

Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners are appointed for a term of six years, or till the age of 65 whichever is earlier.

They are appointed by the President, they cannot be removed by him, no changes can be brought in the conditions of service and the tenure of office after their appointment.

Chief Election Commissioner cannot be removed from office and can be removed on the grounds and in the manner on which the Supreme Court judges can be removed.

Electoral Process

Notification for Election

Seven days are given to candidates to file nomination. Scrutiny of nomination papers is done on the day normally after the last date of filing nominations.

The candidate can withdraw her or his nomination on the second day after the scrutiny of papers. Election is held not earlier than twentieth day after the withdrawal.

Filing of Nomination

A person who intends to contest an election is required to file the nomination paper in a prescribed form indicating his name, age, postal address, and serial number in the electoral rolls.

Security Deposit

Every candidate must make a security deposit at the time of filing nomination. The security deposit is forfeited if the candidate fails to get at least 1/6 of the total valid votes polled.

Scrutiny and Withdrawal

The Returning Officer is empowered to reject a nomination paper on any one of the following grounds:

  1. If the candidate is less than 25 years of age
  2. If the candidate has not made security deposit
  3. If the candidate is holding any office of profit
  4. If the candidate is not listed as a voter anywhere in the country

Election Campaign

Campaigning is the process by which a candidate tries to persuade the voters to vote for him rather than others. Number of campaign techniques are involved in the election process:

  1. Holding of public meetings
  2. Distribution of handbills, highlighting the main issues of their election manifesto
  3. Door to door appeal by influential people in the party
  4. Broadcasting and telecasting of speeches by various political leaders

Polling, Counting & Declaration of Result

After polling, ballot boxes are sealed in the presence of agents of the candidates. Agents ensure that no voter is denied right to vote provided the voter turns up comes within the prescribed time limit.