Constitutional Body: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a permanent and independent constitutional body established under Article 324 of the Constitution of India.
Mandate: It is responsible for superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, the President of India, and the Vice-President of India.
Code of Conduct: The ECI has the authority to frame a Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for political parties and candidates to ensure free and fair elections. This code guides campaign activities, speeches, and the use of public resources.
Disqualification of Legislators:
For Parliament: The ECI advises the President on matters relating to the disqualification of Members of Parliament.
For State Legislatures: The ECI advises the Governor on matters concerning the disqualification of members of a State Legislature, subject to the provisions of Article 191 and 192 of the Constitution.
Electoral Rolls: The ECI is mandated to prepare and revise electoral rolls. This includes the continuous process of adding and deleting names, and ensuring accuracy and fairness in voter registration.
Historical Context: The first Lok Sabha elections were indeed held in 1951-52. A unique aspect of the initial phase of these elections was that they commenced in the high-altitude Chini Taluk (now Kinnaur district) of Himachal Pradesh in October 1951, due to heavy snowfall, before the main polling began across the country in February 1952
