An electoral system is a set of rules set for the smooth functioning and conduction of elections. It also decides how their results are determined. Being a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic, Indian government organises political electoral systems.
The rules under the electoral process govern all aspects, including elections, who can vote, candidates, ballots, campaigning and other factors, of the voting process. Defined by constitutions and electoral laws, political electoral systems are typically conducted by election commissions.
The number of winners elected vary in different types of elections. Like for a unique position like that of prime minister, president or governor, electoral systems elect a single winner; and for members of parliament, the system elects multiple winners.
After India attained Independence in August 1947, there was a need to hold GeneralElections to elect a truly representative Government on the basis of universal adult suffrage.Article 324, which provides for the setting up of Election Commission as an independentconstitutional authority, was therefore brought into force from November 26th, 1949.
To provide a legal framework for the conduct of elections, Parliament passed the first Acton May 12th, 1950 (Representation of the People Act, 1950) providing mainly for the preparationof electoral rolls and second Act on July 17th, 1951 (Representation of the People Act, 1951)laying down the procedure for the conduct of elections to both Houses of Parliament and VidhanSabhas for each State.
After the constitution of the two Houses of Parliament and the State LegislativeAssemblies, the first Presidential election was held in May, 1952 and the first duly electedPresident assumed the charge of office on May 13th, 1952.
For the first and second General Elections in 1951-52, and 1957, the ElectionCommission adopted the ‘Balloting System’ of voting.From the 3rd General Elections in 1962 onwards, the Commission switched over to‘marking system’ of voting.
The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used for the first time in part of ParurAssembly Constituency in Kerala in 1982, on experimental basis. Later, the extensive use ofEVMs started in 1998. The EVMs were used at all polling stations in the country in the14th General Elections to the Lok Sabha in 2004 for the first time. Since then all elections to LokSabha and Legislative Assemblies have been held using EVMs.
In India, the constituencies were distributed according topopulation as well as the geographic conditions. Some of theconstituencies are reserved for Scheduled caste and also ScheduledTribe candidates.
There are total 545 seats are in Lok Sabha, in which, 543 are electedfrom the constituencies and 2 are the reserved for Anglo- Indian seatsare nominated from president.
There are tight legal limits on the amount of money a candidate canspend during the election campaign. Since December 1997, in mostLok Sabha constituencies the limit was Rs 15,00,000/-, although insome States the limit is Rs 6,00,000/- (for Vidhan Sabha elections thehighest limit is Rs 6,00,000/-, the lowest Rs 3,00,000/-). However, anamendment in October 2003 increased these limits. Political parties are free to spend at will while parliamentary candidates are only allowed to spend up to 7 million rupees (about $100,000) in an election. In the 2004 general vote, India’s top six national parties officially spent about 2.69 billion rupees, as per their declarations to the ECI.In the 2014 campaign, the BJP declared spending of 7.12 billion rupees.
Although supporters of a candidate can spend as much asthey like to help out with a campaign, they have to get writtenpermission of the candidate.
The Election Commission of India gives different symbols to variouspolitical parties as well as independent candidates. There is also reasonfor this. Most of the common people in India are illiterate, so toidentify the various candidates, as well as political parties, the politicalparties and independent candidates are given various symbols fromthe election commission.
The constitution has prescribed the maximum age limit to contest inLok Sabha elections is 25 years and the Rajya Sabha elections is 30years. In various assemblies, the maximum age limit for the legislativeassembly is 25 years and legislative council is 30 years.
In 1993, for the first time, the Election Commission of India hadarranged of issuing the identity card to all the citizens to arrange the efficient and corrupt-free election system in India.
The election observers are appointed by the Election Commission tocheck the expenditure made by each candidate at the time ofelection. While they control theexpenditure on the election process, it also tries to prevent the malfunction of buying of ‘votes’.
Candidate can file an election petition if he or she thinks there hasbeen malpractice during the election. An election petition is not anordinary civil suit, but treated as a contest in which the wholeconstituency is involved. Election petitions are tried by the HighCourt of the State involved, and if upheld can even lead to therestaging of the election in that constituency.
Under the supervision of election officers, the counting of votes is held andthe name of candidate is declared, who gains the highest numberof votes, and is named as the winner.
A certificate of winning is distributed to the winner candidatefrom the election commission.
