Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India and the democracy of India is of the people, for the people and by the people. India is the largest democracy in the world with around 1.33 billion people. Our country is a constitutional democracy where the political authority of the country lies with the Indian Government and it is governed by the fundamental laws stated in the Constitution of India.
India, being a democratic country follows a Parliamentary system of governance in which the people of the country choose their leaders through the system of voting which is predominant since Independence. The Election Commission of India was established in the year 1950 and it has been the major body which is responsible for the four important elections in the country: –
- Lok Sabha Elections
- State Legislative Assembly Election
- Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha
- Elections for the members of City Council Officials and Local Panchayats
The citizens of our country have a pivotal role in the elections of India to select or to elect different candidates from the different parties in India, mainly the Indian National Congress and the BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party). The Election Commission is a body that helps you to do so.
The head of the Election Commission of India is Mr Sunil Arora who serves as the Chief Election Commissioner along with Mr Ashok Lavasa and Mr Sushil Chandra who are serving as the Election Commissioner. The major role in a democracy is to conduct free and fair elections in India.
List of the Election Commissioners in India
The list of different Election Commissioners in India are as under: –
| Name | Date of Joining | Date of Leaving Office |
| Sukumar Sen | 21 March 1950 | 19 December 1958 |
| KVK Sundaram | 20 December 1958 | 30 December 1967 |
| S.P. Sen Varma | 01 October 1967 | 30 September 1972 |
| Dr Nagendra Singh | 01 October 1972 | 6 February 1973 |
| T Swaminathan | 07 February 1973 | 17 June 1977 |
| S.L. Shakdhar | 18 June 1977 | 17 June 1982 |
| R.K. Trivedi | 18 June 1982 | 31 December 1985 |
| R.V.S. Peri Sastri | 01 January 1986 | 25 November 1990 |
| Smt V.S. Rama Devi | 26 November 1990 | 11 December 1990 |
| T.N. Sheshan | 12 December 1990 | 11 December 1996 |
| M.S. Gill | 12 December 1996 | 13 June 2001 |
| J.M. Lyngdoh | 14 June 2001 | 7 February 2004 |
| T.S. Krishna Murthy | 08 February 2004 | 15 May 2005 |
| B.B. Tandon | 16 May 2005 | 29 June 2006 |
| N Gopalaswamy | 30 June 2006 | 20 April 2009 |
| Navin Chawla | 21 April 2009 | 29 July 2010 |
| S.Y. Qureshi | 30 July 2010 | 10 June 2012 |
| V.S. Sampath | 11 June 2012 | 15 January 2015 |
| H.S. Brahma | 16 January 2015 | 18 April 2015 |
| Dr. Nasim Zaidi | 19 April 2015 | 05 July 2017 |
| Shri AK Joti | 06 July 2017 | 22 January 2018 |
| Shri Om Prakash Rawat | 23 January 2018 | 01 December 2018 |
| Shri Sunil Arora | 02 December 2019 | Ongoing |
Election Laws In India: –
In India, there are two major election laws. These are: –
- The Representation of the People Act 1950- This act is related to both the revision and preparation of the electoral rolls.
- The Representation of the People Act 1951- This act deals with the smooth conduct of the election and disputes.
The Election Commission of India holds some residual powers in order to act in an appropriate manner to conduct the elections if any law is silent or does not cover that matter adequately.
Right To Vote: –
In India, all the citizens have the right to vote in the elections and choose their leader. They need to register themselves as voters in constituencies where they live, provided they are of 18 years of age on the first day of that year in which the electoral roll is prepared. It is really important to note that the individuals who have been disqualified by the Court for either corrupt practices or any crime or offence related to elections will not be eligible to vote in the elections. Also, persons having an unsound mind cannot vote in the elections and cannot even register themselves as voters in India even after attaining the age of 18 years.
What is an Electoral Roll?
An electoral roll is basically a list of the citizens who are eligible and are entitled to exercise their franchise. In simple words, an electoral roll comprises of names of the eligible voters who are allowed to cast their votes in an election and choose their leader.
Corrupt Electoral Practices
- Acceptance of money or any form of gratification to vote for a candidate.
- Accepting gifts and liquor among others to not vote for a candidate.
- Offering free conveyance to the electors as an inducement to influence the voting decisions.
- Offering any kind of inducement to the voters on the basis of their religion, caste, creed, sex or place of birth.
- Threatening the electors with ex-communication.
FAQs About Election Commission of India
✅ Who is the current Election Commissioner of India?
Mr Ashok Lavasa and Mr Sushil Chandra are the Election Commissioners of India.
✅ Who appoints the Election Commission of India?
The Election Commission of India consists of the Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners. All of them are elected by the President of India.
✅ Who was the first woman Chief Election Commissioner of India?
The first woman Chief Election Commissioner of India was V.S. Ramadevi.
