- 1. ELECTIONELECTION SYSTEM OFINDIASYSTEMOFINDIA
2. INTRODUCTION India is a constitutionaldemocracy with a
parliamentarysystem of government, and at theheart of the system is
acommitment to hold regular, freeand fair elections. These
elections determine thecomposition of the government,the membership
of the twohouses of parliament, the stateand union territory
legislativeassemblies, and the Presidencyand vice-presidency. 3.
ELECTIONSElections are themechanism by which thepeople can choose
theirrepresentatives at regularintervals of time andchange them if
they wishto do so. An election is aformal decision-makingprocess by
which apopulation chooses anindividual to hold publicoffice 4.
FUNCTION OFELECTION It helps us to choose whowill make law for us.
Voters can choose theparty whose policies willguide the government.
It is not physicallypossible for the wholepopulation to sittogether
and makedecisions. 5. DIFFERENT
POLITICALPARTIESINDIANNATIONALCONGRESSBHARTIYAJANTA
PARTYCOMMUNISTPARTY OFBAHUJAN SAMAJPARTYINDIA 6. The Method Of
TheElectionLok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections areheld regularly
after every five years.Elections are held in all constituencies at
thesame time.These are called GENERAL
ELECTION.ELECTORALCONSTITUENCIES 7. Electoral Constituencies: India
is divided intodifferent areas for thepurpose of electionscalled
electoralconstituencies The voters who live ina constituency
electone representative. Total constituencies543 General 412
Reserved (SC) 84 Reserved (ST) - 47 8. ElectoralConstituenciesThe
country is divided intodifferent areas for purposes of
elections.These areas are called electoral constituencies.The
representative elected from each constituencyis called a Member of
Parliament.For Lok Sabha Elections The Country Is DividedInto 543
Constituencies. Each Constituency HasRoughly Equal Population
Living Within It . TheMember Elected From Each Constituency
IsCalled Member Of Parliament Or MP. 9. RESERVED
CONSITUENCYElectoral constituenciesthat are reserved forcandidates
from ScheduledCastes and ScheduledTribes are known asreserved
constituencies.This is to preventdomination of those withbetter
resources and give achance to weaker sectionsof society.In an SC
reservedconstituency,only someonefrom the SCs canstand
forelections. 10. Dadra and Nagar HaveliDaman and DiuKarnataka
-28Constituencies with oneState with largest number of MPs
-80MPChandigarhSikkimAndaman and
NicobarislandsNagalandMizoramLakshadweep Pondicherry 11. The Method
of Election Constitution of India in Art324 provides for a
ElectionCommissioner and otherElection commissioners, whoare
appointed by thepresident of India. The chief electioncommissioner
functions asthe chairperson of thecommission. Art 325 provides for
creationof a single election roll forentire country 12. The Method
of Election Art 326 establish universal adult suffrage asthe basis
for the creation of roll. Art 327 and 328 provides that the
parliamentand the state legislature can legislate onmatters of
elections, subject to the provisionof the constitution. Art 329
bans the courts from interfering inelectoral matters 13. The Method
of Election One MP must be electedfrom each constituency. First
past the post systemis used to determine thewinner State may
reserve seats infavor of SC/ST/OBC inlegislative bodies Voter who
are notphysically present in theirconstituency on pollingday can
vote through thePostal ballot system.South Delhi MPIS RAMESHBIDHURI
(BJP) 14. The Process of Election The country must bedelimited into
variousconstituencies. The president appointsseveral
regionalcommissioners on advice ofchief electioncommissioner. The
electoral roll isprepared The election commissioncalls for a all
party meetingto discuss the poll dates.PresidentOf
IndiaPranabMukharjee 15. The Process of Election Campaign managers
ofpolitical parties conductopinion polls The election
commissionprepares a schedule forelection The code of
conductprescribed by the electioncommission comes intoforces as the
dates aredeclared. Political parties kick off theircampaigning when
the polldates are announce. 16. The Process of Election On election
day, votingcommences in the morningand ends in the evening. As
voters leave pollingbooth exit polls areconducted. The ballot boxes
and EVMsare secured instrongholds. The votes are counted andthe
winners aredetermined by the firstpast the post system. 17.
Election Process18Announcement of ElectionsNomination PhaseScrutiny
of NominationsWithdrawal of
CandidatesPollingCountingElectorateInformationContestingCandidatesinformation
18. Nomination of candidates This happens only when thereare no
restriction on anyoneto contest an election. Anyone who can be
voter canalso be a candidate in theelection. A candidate should be
at least25 years and a voter should beat least 18 years.There are
some restriction oncriminals etc. Politics parties nominatetheir
candidates ,who gets theparty symbol and support. 19. VOTING Any
citizen over the age of 18irrespective of caste, creed, religion
orgender can cast vote. Those who are convicted of certaincriminal
offences are not allowed to vote. 20. Voters ListThe list of people
who are eligible forvoting is prepared by the ElectionCommission of
India.This ensures that everyone in thecountry gets an equal
opportunity ofchoosing their political representatives.Regardless
of a person's caste, creed,colour and gender, every citizen of
andabove 18 years of age is eligible to vote.This is an important
step, it is linked tothe first condition of a democraticelection:
everyone should get an equalopportunity to choose
theirrepresentatives. 21. VOTING DAY Government schools and
colleges arechosen as polling stations. TheCollector of each
district is in chargeof polling. Government employees are
employedto many of the polling stations. Electronic Voting Machines
(EVMs)are being increasingly used instead ofballot boxes to prevent
election fraudvia booth capturing, which is heavilyprevalent in
certain parts of India. An indelible ink is applied usually onthe
left index finger of the voter as anindicator that the voter has
cast hisvote. 22. ELECTION CAMPAIGN Election campaigns in India
takesplace for two weeks, starting fromthe declaration of the final
list ofcandidates contesting the electionsand concluding 48 hours
beforethe date of polling. During this campaign, candidatesreach
out to the voters. Politicalleaders hold election meetings
andrallies for informing the votersabout their policies
andpersuading them to vote for them. The main purpose of election
is togive people chance to choose therepresentative ,the govt
andpolicies they prefer. 23. Polling andcounting of votes The final
stage of an election is theday when the voters cast their vote.this
is called election day. 24. Polling and Counting of votes A person,
with his name on thevoter's list can go to a pollingbooth, get
identified by theofficials, get the mark on hisfinger, and caste
the vote forthe candidate of his choice. Agents of the candidates
arepermitted to be seated insidethe polling booths for ensuringthat
a fair voting takes place. Electronic Voting Machines(EVMs) are
used for castingvotes instead of the ballotpaper. 25. Counting of
votes begin after few days of election. The final stage of an
election is the day when thevoters cast their vote. That day is
usually called theelection day. Every person whose name is on
thevoters list can go to a nearby polling booth situatedin a govt
schools or offices. 26. The votesare
beingcountedThehighestvotedwins 27. ELECTIONCOMMISSION It is a
powerful bodywhich conducts electionsin our country It implements
the code ofconduct and punishesany candidate or partythat violates
it. Election commission isfree from politicalinfluence. 28.
APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL The President of Indiaappoints the two
ElectionCommissioners. They havetenure of 6 years, or up to theage
of 65 ; which ever isearlier. Sixty five however isthe age limit.
The salary and otherconditions of service of theElection
Commissioner aredetermined by the Parliamentof India through -
"ElectionCommission Act
1991.ElectionCommissionerVeeravalliSundaramSampath
