Elections : Election held to elect members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies as also to the office of the President and Vice-President is termed as “General Election”. General Elections are normally held every five years in India. But mid-term elections can be held if the circumstances so demand. General Elections are controlled by the Election Commission consisting of one Chief Election Commissioner and a number of Election Commissioners appointed by the President. The Election Commission conducts the election of the President and Vice-President of India as well.
Main Duties of the Election Commission :
- The main duties of the Election Commission are :
- To superintend, direct, control and conduct all elections to Parliament and State Legislatures as also to the office of the President and VicePresident of India;
- To lay down general rules for election;
- To determine constituencies and to prepare electoral rolls;
- To give recognition to the political parties;
- To allot election symbols to different political parties and individual contestants, and to appoint tribunals for the decision of doubts and disputes arising out of or in connection with election to Parliament and State Legislatures. Powers of the Election Commission are given in Article 324.
Minimum age prescribed for election is :
- (i) President of India - 35 years
- (ii) Member of Lok Sabha - 25 years
- (iii) Member of Rajya Sabha - 30 years.
Mid-term election : is an election held out of schedule as a result of the dissolution of Parliament or a State legislature before it has been in existence for its normal term of five years.
By-election : is held in respect of a seat rendered vacant during the running term of an elected person, which might occur on resignation, death or due to any other subsequent disqualification of the already elected Member. Every person who is a citizen of India and who is not less than 18 years of age and who is not otherwise disqualified, is entitled to vote at the elections of the House of the People (and also of the Legislative Assembly of the States). A member of either House of Parliament will be disqualified from being a member if he has voluntarily given up membership of the party on whose ticket he was elected. Democracy in India rests on the fact that people have the right to choose and change the government. REMEDIES
