Is the Election Commission of India biased? | 5 things you need to Know about election Commission…

The Election Commission of India is a constitutional body that was formed before the general election of 1951-52. It was established to conduct free and fair elections of union and state. This body conducts the elections for Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state, legislative, assembly, state, legislative council, president and vice president. 

Objectives of the election commission:

To protect the spirit of democracy.

Free and fair election.

Participation of all eligible citizens.

 promote awareness

 engage with political parties. 

Structure of the election commission:

From 1950 till 1989 it was a single-member body in 1989 it was converted to a multimember body by the Election Commissioners Amendment Act,1989 on the recommendation of the Tarkunde committee with one chief election Commissioner and two other election commissioners. all of them have equal powers.

 All three members hold equal powers. The term for the election commissioner is six years or 65 years of age. The election commissioner can submit his resignation only to the president.

Functions and Duties of the ECI:

1. To give the status of national and state parties to the political party.
2. To determine the territorial area of a constituency.
3. To prepare the electoral roll for the election.
4. The ECI notifies the schedule of elections.
5. It scrutinises the nomination papers.
6. It registers the political parties.
7. It grants symbols to the political parties during the election.
8. The election commission appoints officers to enquire into disputes related to elections.
9. It ensures a model code of conduct.
10. The election commission advises the President and Governor on disqualification of MPs and MLAs.
11. The election commission advises the President on whether elections can be held in the state under President’s rule.
12. It can cancel the polls in the event of irregularities.

Independence of the ECI:

1. Removal of the election commissioner is not easy. It is similar to the Judge of the Supreme Court. In other words, we can say that the election commissioner can be removed by the President on the basis of a resolution passed by both houses of Parliament with a special majority. He or she can only be removed on the basis of incapacity or misbehaviour. Till now no one has been removed from the post of chief election commissioner.
2. The CEC or other ECs cannot be varied to a disadvantage after their appointment.
3. Their election commissioners cannot be removed from office except on the recommendation of the chief election commissioner.

some flows of ECI are:

1. The Constitution has not prescribed the qualifications of the members of the election commission.
2. The Constitution has not specified the terms of members.
3. The Constitution has not debarred the retiring election Commissioner from any further appointment by the government.

Important Articles related to Election Commission of India

Articles	Provision written in them
Article 324	Power of Legislature of a State to make provisions with respect to elections to such Legislature.
Article 325	No person is to be ineligible for inclusion in or to claim to be included in a special, electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex.
Article 326	Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be on the basis of adult suffrage. That is every citizen of India who is 18 years of age can participate in the election.
Article 327	Superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for all elections to Parliament and to legislature of every state and of election to the offices of president and vice president, held under this constitution to be vested in an Election Commission.
Article 328	Superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for all elections to Parliament and to the legislature of every state and of election to the offices of president and vice president, held under this constitution to be vested in an Election Commission.
Article 329	Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.

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