INTRODUCTION India is a Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic and the largest democracy in the World. The modern Indian nation state came into existence on 15th of August 1947. Since then free and fair elections have been held at regular intervals as per the principles enshrined in the Constitution, Electoral Laws and System. The Constitution of India has vested in the Election Commission of India the superintendence, direction and control of the entire process for conduct of elections to Parliament and Legislature of every State and to the offices of President and Vice-President of India. Election Commission of India is a permanent Constitutional Body. The Election Commission was established in accordance with the Constitution on 25th January 1950. The Commission celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2001. Originally the commission had only a Chief Election Commissioner. It currently consists of Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners. For the first time two additional Commissioners were appointed on 16th October 1989 but they had a very short tenure till 1st January 1990. Later, on 1st October 1993 two additional Election Commissioners were appointed. The concept of multi-member Commission has been in operation since then, with decision making power by majority vote.THE SETUP The Commission has a separate Secretariat at New Delhi, consisting of about550 officials, in a hierarchical set up. Five or Six Deputy Election Commissioners and Director Generals who are the senior officers in the Secretariat assist the Commission. They are generally appointed from the national civil service of the country and are selected and appointed by the Commission with tenure. Directors, Principal Secretaries, and Secretaries, Under Secretaries and Deputy Secretary support the Deputy Election Commissioners and Director Generals in turn. There is functional and territorial distribution of work in the Commission. The work is organised in Divisions, Branches and Sections; each of the last mentioned units is in charge of a Section Officer. The main functional divisions are Administration, Electoral Roll, Election Expenditure Management, Information Systems, International Cooperation, Judicial, Media,Planning,Political Parties, Secretariat Co-ordination, and Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP). The territorial work is distributed among separate units responsible for different Zones into which the 36 constituent States and Union Territories of the country are grouped for convenience of management.At the state level, the election work is supervised, subject to overall superintendence, direction and control of the Commission, by the Chief Electoral Officer of the State, who is appointed by the Commission from amongst senior civil servants from a panel of officers proposed by the concerned state government. He is, in most of the States, a full time officer and has a small team of supporting staff. At the district and constituency levels, the District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers, who are assisted by a large number of functionaries, perform election work. They all perform their functions relating to elections in addition to their other responsibi s. During election time, however, they are available to the Commission, more or less, on a full time basis. The gigantic task force for conducting a countrywide general election consists of more than twelve million polling personnel and civil police forces. This huge election machinery is deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission and is subject to its control, superintendence and discipline during the election period, extending over a period of one and half to two months.BUDGET AND EXPENDITURE The Secretariat of the Commission has an independent budget, which is finalised directly in consultation between the Commission and the Finance Ministry of the Union Government. The latter generally accepts the recommendations of the Commission for its budgets. The major expenditure on actual conduct of elections is, however, reflected in the budgets of the Ministry of Law & Justice (for Government of India share) and the concerned States/UTs. If elections are being held only for the Parliament, the expenditure is borne entirely by the Union Government while for the elections being held only for the State Legislature, the expenditure is borne entirely by the concerned State. In case of simultaneous elections to the Parliament and State Legislature, the expenditure is shared equally between the Union and the State Governments. For Capital equipment, expenditure related to preparation for electoral rolls and the scheme for Electors’ Identity Cards too, the expenditure is shared equally.COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMISION OF INDIA Article 324 of the Indian constitution has made some provisions regarding the composition of the election commission. It includes the following - The President of India is in charge of appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and the other election commissioners If any other EC is appointed, the CEC serves the role of the election commission's Chairman. The President can appoint regional commissioners to assist the commission as well, such as a commissioner can be appointed chiefly to look after the Karnataka election commission. The President decides the tenure of the office and conditions of service of all the election commissioners.THE ELECTION COMMISION'S FUNCTION The functions of the election commission include, but are not limited to, the following - ° The commission looks after the elections to the offices of the President and the Vice-President, state legislators, and the parliament. ¢ Scheduling the election timings to hold periodic and timely elections for general and by-elections. ¢ Deciding the spot of the polling stations, assigning voters to their polling stations, a spot for counting centres, and making arrangements in the polling stations and counting centres and other related matters. ¢ To issue the Electronic Photo Identity Card (EPIC) and create the electoral roll.THE ELECTION COMMISION'S POWER The constitution has given the election commission the power to direct and control the entire conduct of elections in the country. The commission looks after the elections to the offices of the President and the Vice-President, state legislators, and the parliament. It can be divided into three categories - Administrative, advisory, and quasi-judicial. The election commission advises the President on whether elections should be held in a state currently undergoing the President's rule. The powers vested on the election commission include, but are not limited to, the following -To choose the territorial areas of the electoral constituency throughout the country, based on the Delimitation Commission Act of the Parliament. To prepare and revise the electoral rolls and register all eligible voters. To decide the schedule and date for the election and scrutinise the nomination papers. To recognise the different political parties and allocate their election symbols to them. The election commission acts as a court to end all the disputes that concern the granting of recognition to political parties and assigns them election symbols. Appoint officials to look into disputes that may concern electoral arrangements. Create a program that shall pul ise the policies regarding all political parties on different media platforms, such as the TV and radio, during the elections. Advise the President on matters that may concern the disqualification of MPs, and advise the Governor on issues that may involve the disqualification of MLAs. The election commission can cancel polls in cases such as booth capturing, rigging, violence, etc.CONCLUSION The election commission of India is in charge of handling almost every duty that will ensure a free and fair election in the country. Today, the election commission has become the backbone RTO OAM ACK Orica LITG elections to the offices of the President and the Vice-President, state legislators, and the parliament.