ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a notice to the Karnataka government over publishing advertisements related to its achievements in newspapers in poll-bound Telangana.

Election Commission of India (ECI)

• About: Established by the Constitution of India, the Election Commission is a permanent and autonomous entity.
• Article 324: It provides that the power of superintendence, direction and control of elections to parliament, state legislatures, the office of president of India and the office of vice-president of India shall be vested in the election commission.
• Composition: Consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and a such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix.
• Appointment: Chief election commissioner and other election commissioners shall be made by the President.
• Tenure: The President may by rule determine it
• Removal: Process of removal similar to that of a Supreme Court judge by Parliament.

Power and Functions

• To prepare and periodically revise electoral rolls and to register all eligible voters.
• To notify the dates and schedules of elections and to scrutinize nomination papers.
• To determine the code of conduct to be observed by the parties and the candidates at the time of elections.
• To advise the president whether elections can be held in a state under president’s rule in order to extend the period of emergency after one year.
• To advise the governor on matters relating to the disqualifications of the members of the state legislature.

The Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners Bill, 2023: It replaces the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991.

• It provides for the appointment, salary, and removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs).
• The CEC and ECs will be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of a Selection Committee.
• The Selection Committee will consist of the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister, and Leader of Opposition/leader of the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha.