Editing Politics of India (section)

== Elections In India ==
{{Main|Elections in India}}
Elections in the Republic of India include elections for

* [[President of India]],
* [[Vice President of India]],
* Members of the Parliament in [[Rajya Sabha]] (Upper house) and [[Lok Sabha]] (Lower house),
* Members of [[State Legislative Council (India)|State Legislative Councils]],
* Members of [[State Legislative Assembly (India)|State Legislative Assemblies]] (includes legislative assemblies of three union territories - [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[National Capital Territory of Delhi]] and [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]])
* Members of [[Local government in India|local governance bodies]] ([[Municipal governance in India|Municipal bodies]] and [[Panchayati raj|Panchayats]]),
* By-election is held when a seat-holder of a particular constituent dies, resigns, or is disqualified.

=== Election Commission of India ===
{{Main|Election Commission of India}}
The '''Election Commission of India''' ('''ECI''') is a [[constitutional body]] established by the [[Constitution of India]] empowered to conduct [[Elections in India|free and fair elections in India]]. The Election commission is headed by a [[Chief Election Commissioner of India|Chief Election Commissioner]] and consists of two other [[Election Commissioner of India|Election Commissioners]].

At the [[States and union territories of India|states and union territories]], the Election Commission is assisted by the Chief Electoral Officer of the state or union territory (CEO), who leads the election machinery in the states and union territories. At the district and constituency levels, the [[District collector|District Magistrates/District Collectors]] (in their capacity as District Election Officers), Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers perform election work.

The Election Commission operates under the powers granted by [[Part XV of the Constitution of India|Article 324]] of the [[Constitution of India|Constitution]] and subsequently enacted [[Representation of the People Act (India)|Representation of the People Act]]. The [[States Election Commission (India)|state election commissions]] are responsible for conducting local body elections in the respective states. The election commission decides the dates for the filing of nominations, voting, counting and announcement of results.

A law for the registration process for political parties was enacted in 1989. The registration ensures that the political parties are recognized as national, state and regional parties. The election commission has the right to allot symbols to the political parties depending on the status. The same symbol cannot be allocated to two political parties even if they do not contest in the region.

The commission prepares electoral rolls and updates the voter list. To prevent electoral fraud, Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) were introduced in 1993. However certain legal documents such as [[Ration card (India)|ration cards]] have been allowed for voting in certain situations.

=== One Nation, One Election ===
"[[One Nation, One Election]]" is an initiative proposed in India to synchronize the schedules of the [[Lok Sabha]] (House of the People) and state legislative assembly elections. The concept aims to conduct simultaneous elections for both central and state governments, a practice that was prevalent until 1967. Advocates argue that this approach would significantly reduce the burden on the public exchequer, minimize the disruption caused by frequent elections, and ensure more consistent policy implementation. However, it faces challenges, such as the logistical complexities of conducting elections on such a large scale and concerns over the potential impact on the federal structure of governance. The proposal continues to spark significant debate among political parties, constitutional experts, and the general public in India.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-31 |title=What does 'One Nation, One Election' mean? Pros and cons of simultaneous polls |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/what-does-one-nation-one-election-mean-pros-and-cons-of-simultaneous-polls-2429335-2023-08-31 |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |last2= |first2= |date=2024-03-16 |title=High-Level Committee Report on One Nation, One Election |url=https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/03/16/high-level-committee-report-on-one-nation-one-election/ |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=INSIGHTS IAS - Simplifying UPSC IAS Exam Preparation |language=en-US}}</ref>

Simultaneous elections were common in India until 1967, but the practice ended due to the premature dissolution of some state assemblies and the Lok Sabha in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The idea has been periodically revisited, with significant push in recent years from Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] and the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref name=":1" />