What are the features of Indian elections?

Elections are the expression of democracy in India. They are held regularly, at the local, state, and national levels. At the national level, elections are held to elect the members of the Lok Sabha, while at the state level, the purpose is to elect representatives to the state assembly. Representatives to local bodies are also elected through local elections. In India, elections are held in phases, often covering a period of one month, because of the huge population. The Election Commission of India is responsible for conducting free and fair elections, from the announcement of the date of the election, till the polling and counting. It enforces a 'model code of conduct' that every candidate must follow strictly while campaigning. The election process is concluded when the list of successful candidates is submitted to the head of the state.

When did India have her first general election?

In 1947, India attained its independence. The Constitution of India came into force on January 26th, 1950. The first general elections under the new constitution were held during the year 1951- 52, and the first elected parliament came into being in April 1952. These elections were the biggest experiment in democracy anywhere in the world. The elections were held based on a universal adult franchise, with all those twenty-one years of age or older, having the right to vote. There were over 173 million voters, most of them poor, illiterate, and rural, and having had no experience of elections. The big question at the time was how the people would respond to this opportunity. Organizing these elections was a staggering task. There was a house-to-house survey to register the voters. With over 70 percent of the voters being illiterate, the candidates were to be identified by symbols, assigned to each major party, and independent candidates, painted on the ballot boxes. This was later changed to symbols on the ballot papers. The voters were to place the ballot papers in the box assigned to a particular candidate, and the ballot was secret. Over 224,000 polling booths - one for almost every 1000 voters were constructed. Nearly 620,000,000 ballot papers were printed, and about a million officials supervised the conduct of the polls. The Indian National Congress won a landslide victory in the first general elections, winning 364 of the 489 seats, and 45 per cent of the total votes polled. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first democratically elected Prime Minister of India.

Why is the job of the Election Commission a challenging one?

Elections in India are events involving political mobilization and organizational complexity on an amazing scale, and it is the Election Commission of India or ECI, that is responsible for their smooth operation. The task is mind-boggling since the electorate exceeds 714 million voters and 828,804 polling stations, in locations that vary from the snowclad mountains of the Himalayas to the deserts of Rajasthan, the mangrove forests of Bengal, and the sparsely populated islands in the Indian Ocean. The ECI has a difficult task to carry out peaceful elections in the regions of violent tensions such as the Naxalite or Maoist-hit regions.

Safety is a major concern in these regions. It also needs to penetrate the innermost regions of the country. Unlike in other countries, the voter turnout in India is huge, even in the rural and backward areas. In fact, the ECI set up a polling booth for just one person in the Gir Forest in the 2012 Assembly Elections! The ECI also has the task of monitoring all the candidates and parties to ensure that no malpractices take place during campaigning, or on election day. Monitoring thousands of candidates is not an easy job. Yet, the ECI has consistently been able to achieve more than is expected from it.

What is the structure of the Election Commission of India, or ECI?

The ECI was established on 25th January 1950, and is a permanent body, headed by the Chief Election Commissioner, and other commissioners. The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President of India. In 1993, two more election commissioners, who have the same power and status, were also appointed. The secretariat of the commission has 300 officials and is located in New Delhi. The deputy election commissioners and director generals are the senior-most officers in the secretariat. The President of India appoints the Chief Election Commissioner, who serves for six years and must retire at the age of 65. The commissioner is generally a member of the Civil Services, and more often, of the Indian Administrative Services, or the Indian Revenue Services. He can be removed from his office through the process of impeachment, which needs to be carried out in the parliament. The President of India can remove the other officers on the Chief Election Commissioner's recommendation. The Election Commission of India is considered to be the custodian of free and fair elections and has proved that it is so, time and time again, election after election.

Why is the 'Model Code of Conduct important in an election?

During elections in India, the Election Commission issues a 'Model Code of Conduct'. It consists of guidelines for the conduct of political parties and candidates during elections mainly with respect to speeches, polling day, polling booths, election manifestos, processions, and general behavior. For example, politicians should not make hate speeches, pitting one community against another, or make promises about new projects that may sway a voter. The 'Model Code of Conduct' comes into force immediately on the announcement of the election schedule by the commission, and is strictly enforced. It remains in force till the end of the electoral process and is the key to ensuring free and fair elections in the country. The 'Model Code of Conduct' is designed to provide a playing field for all political parties, keep the campaign fair and healthy, avoid clashes and conflicts between parties, and ensure peace and Order. It aims to ensure that the ruling party, either at the center or in the states, does not misuse its official position to gain an unfair advantage in an election. This instrument is a major contribution of the Indian electoral system to the cause of democracy.

What are the major steps in the election process till the polling takes place?

The Election Commission first announces the dates of nomination, polling, and counting. Once this announcement is made, the 'Model Code of Conduct' comes into force. The various political parties and political alliances declare suitable candidates for various seats. Government funds and government machinery cannot be used for campaigning. Campaigning by the candidates has to stop 48 hours before the polling day. On election day, voters have to go to their polling stations which are usually government schools and institutions. Government employees man the polling stations, and the District Collector is in overall charge. Nowadays, voters cast their votes via electronic voting machines, and this greatly reduces the chances of election fraud. An indelible ink is applied usually on the left index finger of the voter to show that the voter has cast his or her vote. Polling day is generally declared a holiday so that all voters can cast their respective votes. There is a rule that if any institute is not declaring a holiday, it must make special arrangements for its workers to cast their votes. At 5 pm sharp, the officials from the Election Commission seal the electronic voting machines in the presence of the representatives of respective political parties. After this, all the machines are packed off and sent under high security and vigil to the office of the Election Commission where they are guarded until counting begins.

Why is the Indian system of voting a modern one?

In many parts of the world, voting is done by making a tick mark against the name of one's preferred candidate that appears on a list of candidates printed on a ballot paper. India has moved beyond this system. Since 1999, ballot papers have been replaced by EVMs, or Electronic Voting Machinesin Indian elections. The EVMs were commissioned in 1989 by the Election Commission of India in collaboration with Electronics Corporation of India Limited, Hyderabad, and Bharat Electronics Ltd. The first one was designed in 1980 by M.B. Haneefa and used in a limited number of polling stations in the by-election held in Kerala for the North Paravur assembly seat. EVMs have the great advantage of making counting faster and also reducing fraud in elections. The Indian voter has proved his modern mindset by using them properly.

What is a 'none of the above' vote?

The Indian voter has the option of choosing from a list of candidates. However, if none of the candidates is to his liking, he has another option too. He can tick against a box titled 'none of the above.' This is called a 'none of the above,' or NOTA vote. This option was first suggested by the Election Commission in 2009, and first implemented during the by-elections held in 2013. In the recently held 2014 general elections, many voters chose to exercise their NOTA option. However, in the event that the maximum number of votes is for the NOTA option, the candidate with the greatest number of votes still gets elected. The election is neither canceled nor is there re-election.

[ Image Source: Election Commission Of India ]

What happens after the polling day in India?

Even when polling is over, the work of the Election Commission continues. Because of India's vastness, polling cannot be done on the same day everywhere but must be conducted in multiple phases. This means that the EVMs from places where polling is over must be collected, and stored under heavy security to prevent anyone from tampering with them. Once all the phases of voting are over, the counting is done on a day that has been announced in advance by the Election Commission. The votes from all the polling booths are tallied on the same day, and the results are announced immediately. In every constituency, the candidate with the most votes is declared the winner and a list of winning candidates is drawn up to be submitted to the President. The party or coalition of parties that get the most number of seats is invited by the President to form the new government.