Government of Tamilnadu
Department of Employment and Training
Course : TNPSC Group II Exam
Subject : Indian Polity
Topic : Elections, Election Commission
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ELECTION COMMISSION
ELECTION
Articles Related to Elections
Article Subject - Matter
No.
324 Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an
Election Commission
325 No person 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
326 Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of
states to be on the basis of adult suffrage
327 Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to
Legislatures
328 Power of Legislature of a state to make provision with respect to
elections to such Legislature
329 Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters
329A Special provision as to elections to Parliament in the case of Prime
Minister and Speaker (Repealed)
elections to the Lok Sabha and
ELECTION MACHINERY State Legislative Assemblies.
Election Commission of India (ECI) The Chief Electoral Officer of a
Under Article 324 of the state / Union Territory is
Constitution of India, the Election authorised to supervise the
Commission of India is vested election work in the state / Union
with the power of Territory subject to the overall
superintendence, direction and superintendence, direction and
control of conducting the
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ELECTION COMMISSION
control of the Election officer of the state Government
Commission. as the Direct Election Officer in
consultation with the state
Composition: government
1. Chief election commissioner & 2
Election Commissioners. The Returning Officer of a
2. Appointed by President. Parliamentary or assembly
3. Tenure decided by President. constituency is responsible for
4. From 1950 to 15 October 1989 - the conduct of elections in the
functions as a single member body. Parliamentary or assembly
5. 16 October 1989 two more election constituency concerned.
commissioners appointed.
6. All the three members have same The Election Commission of India
emoluments and allowances as nominates or designates an
those of a Judge of the Supreme officer of the Government or a
Court. local authority as the Returning
7. They can hold office for a term of 6 Officer for each of the assembly
years or until they attain the age of and parliamentary constituencies
65 years whichever is earlier. in consultation with the State
8. No prescribed qualification of the Government / union Territory
members in the constitution. Administration.
The Electoral Registration Officer
District Election Officer (DEO)
is responsible for the preparation
Subject to the superintendence,
of electoral rolls for a
direction and control of the Chief
Parliamentary / assembly
Electoral Officer, the District
constituency.
Election Officer supervises the
election work of a district. The Election Commission of
India, in consultation with the
The Election Commission of India state / UT government, appoints
nominates or designates an an officer of the government or
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ELECTION COMMISSION
the local authorities as the
Electoral Registration Officer.
The Presiding Officer with the
assistance of polling officers
conducts the poll at a polling
station.
The District Election Officer
appoints the Presiding Officers
and the Polling Officers.
The Election Commission of India
nominates officers of
Government as Observers
(General Observers and Election
Expenditure Observes) for
Parliamentary and assembly
constituencies.
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ELECTION COMMISSION
1. Largest Constituencies : Ladakh - Jammu & Kashmir
2. Smallest Constituencies : Chandni Chowk - NCT of Delhi
Electronic Voting Machines: (EVM)
EVM are being used in Indian General and state elections.
Electronic voting is partly implemented from 1999 elections and
in total since 2004 elections.
The EVMs were first used in 1998 in the by – election at
North Paravur Assembly Constituency in Kerala for a
limited number of polling stations.
The EVMs were used for the first time in the general
elections (entire state) to the Assembly of Goa in 1999.
Election Commission decided to introduce EVMs with
Voter – verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) system. The
VVPAT system was introduced in 8 of 543 parliamentary
constituencies as a pilot project in Indian General
Election, 2014.
NOTA – None Of The Above
NOTA was designed to allow the voter to indicate disapproval of all of
the candidates in a assembly constituency.
On September 27, 2013 –Supreme court directed Election commission
to introduce a NOTA button.
NOTA symbol – ballot paper with a black cross across it. Introduced –
September 18, 2015.
Before NOTA – Rule 49-0 of “The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961”
was used by election commission.
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ELECTION COMMISSION
ELECTORAL REFORMS Composition:
Electoral Reforms Before 1996 Consists of Chief Election
Lowering of Voting Age – The Commissioner + 2 Election
61st Constitutional Amendment Commissioners. They all enjoy
Act of 1988 reduced the voting equal powers.
age from 21 years to 18 years for
the Lok Sabha as well as the Appointment :
assembly elections. The Chief Election Commissioner is
Deputation to Election appointed by the President and the
Commission – In 1988, a other Election Commissioners are
provision was made that the appointed by the President (after
officers and the staff engaged in consultation with the Chief Election
preparation, revision and Commissioner).
correction of electoral rolls for President also appoints Regional
elections are deemed to be on Commissioners at the time of
deputation to the Election General Elections after consultation
Commission for the period of with the Election Commission.
such employment.
Term and Tenure:
ELECTION COMMISSION OF UNION Election Commissioners are
AND STATE appointed for a term of 6 years or
until they attain the age of 65 years,
Article 324 of the constitution whichever is earlier.
provides that the power of They are not eligible for re-
superintendence, direction and appointment. Also, they cannot hold
control of elections to parliament, any office of profit after their
state legislatures, the offices of retirement. Salary – equal to judge
President of India and the office of of Supreme Court
Vice-President of India shall be
vested in the election commission.
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ELECTION COMMISSION
1. Election Commission of India
Formed - January 25, 1950
Head quarters – New Delhi.
Chief Election Commissioner – Syed Nazim Ahmad Zaidi (from April
19,2015)
2. Tamil Nadu Election Commission
It is an autonomous, independent Constitutional and Statutory authority
of Tamil Nadu.
Formed - July 15, 1994
Head quarters – Chennai.
Function - The conduct of elections to Rural and Urban bodies of Tamil
Nadu.
TN Election Commissioner - P. Seetharaman, I.A.S (from March 2015)
Removal: The electoral roll is normally
The Chief Election Commissioner revised every year to add the
can be removed from office before names of those who have turned
expiry of his term by the President 18 on the 1st. January of that
on the basis of a resolution passed year or have moved into a
by the Parliament by a special constituency and to remove the
majority on the ground of proven names of those who have died
mis-behaviour or incapacity (same or moved out of a constituency.
as that of Judge of Supreme Preparation of code of conduct
Court). The other Election for all political parties.
Commissioners may be removed Recognition of various political
by the President on the parties &. allotment of election
recommendation of the Chief symbols.
Election Commissioner. Appointment of election officers
to look into disputes concerning
Functions: election arrangements.
Preparation of electoral rolls & To examine the returns of
keep voters list updated. election expenses filed by the
candidate
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ELECTION COMMISSION
Chief Election Commissioners Election Commissioners – Sh.
The following have held the post of the A.K. Joti, Sh.Om Prakash Rawat
Chief Election Commissioner of India.
Chief Election Commissioner –
Dr. Nasim Zaidi
List of Chief Election Commissioners
SL.No. Name Portrait Took Office Left Office
19 December
1 Sukumar Sen 21 March 1958
1950
20 December 30 September
2 KVK Sundaram 1958 1967
30 September
3 S. P. Sen 1 October 1972
Verma 1967
4 Nagendra 1 October 6 February 1973
Singh 1972
17 June 1977
5 T. 7 February
Swaminathan 1973
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ELECTION COMMISSION
17 June 1982
6 S. L. Shakdhar 18 June 1977
31 December
7 R. K. Trivedi 18 June 1982 1985
25 November
8 R. V. S. Peri 1 January 1990
Sastri 1986
11 December
9 V. S. 26 November 1990
Ramadevi 1990
10 T. N. Seshan 12 11 December
December 1996
1990
12 December 13 June 2001
11 M. S. Gill 1996
12 J. M. Lyngdoh 14 June 2001 7 February 2004
13 T. S. 8 February 15 May 2005
Krishnamurthy 2004
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14 B. B. Tandon 16 May 2005 29 June 2006
15 N. 30 June 2006 20 April 2009
Gopalaswami
Navin Chawla
16 21 April 2009 29 July 2010
17 S. Y. Quraishi 30 July 2010 10 June 2012
15 January 2015
18 V. S. Sampath 10 June 2012
15 January
19 H. S. Brahma 2015 Incumbent
20. Nasim Zaidi 15 April 2015 Incumbent
21. Achal Kumar 6th July 2017 22 Jan 2018
Jyoti
22. Om Prakash 23 Jan 2018 Present
Rawat
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ELECTION COMMISSION
FINANCE COMMISSION Functions:
Article 280 of the Constitution of To recommend to the President
India provides for a Finance distribution of net proceeds of the
Commission as a quasi judicial taxes which are divisible between
body. It is constituted by the Union and States.
president of India every fifth year or To recommend the principles which
at such earlier time as he considers should govern the Grants of the
necessary. revenues of the State out of the
Consolidated Fund of India.
th
Presently 15 Finance The recommendations made by it
Commission are only of advisory nature and
Chairman N.K.Singh hence not binding on the
Government.
Composition: To tender advice to the President
It consists of a Chairman & 4 other on any other matter referred to the
members. They are eligible for re- Commission in the interest of sound
appointment. finance.
The Chairman is selected from
persons who have had experience ANTI- DEFECTION LAW
in public affairs while the members To curb political defection, added by
are selected from the persons who. 52nd amendment in 1985 in Tenth
Qualified to be appointed judges of Schedule.
High Court. Any member of Parliament
Have special knowledge of the belonging to any political party can
finance & accounts of govt. be disqualified.
Wide experience in financial If he voluntarily gives up the
matter & in administration. Have membership of that political party. If
special knowledge of he votes or abstains from voting
Economics. according to the party 'whip'.
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ELECTION COMMISSION
Any independent member can be
disqualified if he joins any
political party after election.
Any nominated member can be
disqualified if he joins any
political party after the expiry of 6
month from the date of his
joining.
This law shall not apply:
To a situation of 'merger' in which
atleast2/3 members of any party are
involved.
To person who resigns membership
of his party after becoming the
Presiding officer of the house & he
rejoins the party after laying down
that office.
91st amendment act – 2003 omitted
exception provision i.e.
disqualification on ground of
defection not to apply in case of
split.
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