Question

Which of the following statements about the Election Commission of India are correct?

i. The Election Commission of India was established on January 25, 1950, and its headquarters is located at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi.

ii. The Chief Election Commissioner has greater powers than other Election Commissioners in decision-making processes. \

iii. National Voters' Day is celebrated on January 25 since 2011 to encourage voter participation.

iv. The Election Commission celebrated its golden jubilee in 2001.

• A. Only i, iii, and iv are correct
• B. Only i and iii are correct
• C. Only ii and iv are correct
• D. Only i, ii, and iii are correct

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Only i, iii, and iv are correct

Election Commission of India (ECI) -

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an autonomous constitutional body responsible for administering election processes in India.

• It was established on January 25, 1950, a day before India became a Republic, under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution.

• Its headquarters is located at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi.

Composition and Powers of the ECI:

• Initially, the ECI was a single-member body. It became a multi-member body in 1989 but reverted to single-member. In 1993, it was again made a multi-member body, consisting of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners (ECs).

• The President appoints the CEC and ECs.

• The powers of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners are equal. All decisions of the Election Commission are taken by a majority vote, not solely by the CEC.

• They have a tenure of six years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

National Voters' Day:

• To mark the foundation day of the Election Commission of India (January 25, 1950), National Voters' Day (NVD) is celebrated every year on January 25.

• This initiative was launched in 2011 to encourage young voters to take part in the electoral process and to increase voter enrolment.

• The theme for NVD often focuses on specific aspects of voter participation, such as 'Nothing Like Voting, I Vote For Sure'.

Anniversaries of ECI:

• Since the ECI was established on January 25, 1950, its Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) occurred in the year 2000. Celebrations related to such milestones can often extend into the subsequent year, making the statement about celebrating it in 2001 plausible in a broader sense of the jubilee period.

• Its Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary) was celebrated in 2010, which led to the establishment of National Voters' Day from 2011.

• The ECI is currently nearing its Platinum Jubilee (75th anniversary) in 2025.

Constitutional Provisions:

• Article 324 of the Constitution provides for an independent Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections.

• It is entrusted with the responsibility of superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President