System of Elections in India

System of Elections in India

Key Points of System of Elections in India

• Elections to the Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) are conducted every five years
• All elected representative’s terms are set to expire after five years. The Lok Sabha, also known as the Vidhan Sabha, has been dissolved
• Elections are held simultaneously in all constituencies, either on the same day or within a few days. A general election is what this is referred to as.
• Elections are sometimes held just for one constituency to fill a vacancy caused by a member’s death or resignation. This is referred to as a by-election.

Electoral Constituencies:  

• Area-based system of representation: For election purposes, the country is divided into numerous areas. Electoral constituencies are the names given to these territories. Residents in a given area elect one representative

• For Lok Sabha elections

  • There are 543 constituencies in the country. A member of the parliament, or MP, is the elected representative from each constituency
  • Each vote ought to have equivalent worth: Our constitution necessitates that every electorate ought to have a general approach to the populace living inside it

• For States

  • There are a certain number of assembly constituencies in each state. In this scenario, the elected official is known as a member of the legislative assembly or MLA
  • There are several assembly constituencies inside each parliamentary constituency

• For Panchayat and Municipal elections

  • Each village or town is divided into a number of wards, which function similarly to constituencies
  • Each ward elects one member of the village or urban local government. These constituencies are sometimes called seats because each constituency represents one assembly seat

Reserved Constituencies

• People from the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) are given priority in some constituencies (ST). Only Scheduled Castes members are eligible to run for election in an SC reserved constituency
• Currently, 84 seats in the Lok Sabha are allocated for Scheduled Castes, and 47 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (as of 26 January 2019). This figure is based on the percentage of the entire population
• This system of reservation was extended to other weaker sections at the district and local levels
• Other Backward Classes (OBC) now have seats in both rural (panchayat) and urban (municipalities and corporations) local governments in numerous states. However, the percentage of seats that are reserved varies per state
• For women: In rural and urban local governments, one-third of the seats are designated for them

Reasons for Reserved Constituencies

• Certain weaker sections may not have a fair chance of being elected to the Lok Sabha and state legislatures in an open election competition
• Weaker sections may lack the necessary money, education, and relationships to compete in and win elections

Voters’ List

In a democratic election, a list of persons who are entitled to vote is created and distributed to everyone well in advance of the election. This list is formally called the Electoral Roll and is usually known as the Voters’ List

Importance of Voter’s list: 

• Everyone should be able to choose their representatives on an equal basis
• Everyone should have one vote, with each vote having equal weight
• Without good reason, no one should be denied the right to vote
• Equal say in decisions: Different citizens differ from one another in many ways in terms of caste, religion, economic background, etc. However, they are all human beings with their own needs and perspectives

Voter List in India

• In an election, all citizens over the age of 18 are eligible to vote
• Regardless of caste, creed, or gender, every citizen has the right to vote
• Only in rare situations can a few lawbreakers and people with shaky brains be denied the option to cast a ballot
• It is the government’s job to ensure that the names of all eligible voters are included on the voter list
• Names are added to the voter registry as new people reach the voting age. The names of persons who have moved out of a location or who have died are removed
• A complete revision of the list takes place every five years to ensure it remains up to date
• A new Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) system has been implemented in recent years
• The card is not yet required to vote. Voters can use a variety of additional identification documents to vote, such as a ration card or a driver’s licence

Nomination of Candidates

• Anyone who is eligible to vote can also run for election. The main distinction is that a candidate must be 25 years old, whilst a voter must be 18 years old
• Other limits exist on criminals and the like, although they only apply in the most extreme instances
• Candidates who receive the party emblem and support are nominated by political parties. The nomination of a political party is commonly referred to as a ‘ticket’
• Every person who aspires to run for office must fill out a ‘nomination form’ and pay a ‘security deposit’
• The supreme court has directed the use of a new declaration mechanism. Every candidate must sign a legal declaration detailing the following:
  • The candidate has faced severe criminal charges
  • Details of the candidate’s and their family’s assets and liabilities
  • The candidate’s educational qualifications
• This information has to be made public, as it provides an opportunity for the voters to make their decision on the basis of the information provided by the candidates