What is the role of the Election Commission of India?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an independent constitutional body created under Article 324 to conduct free and fair elections.

It is responsible for elections to the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha, state legislative assemblies and the offices of the President and Vice-President. Panchayat and municipal elections are handled by separate State Election Commissions.

Its main functions include:

• Preparing and updating the electoral rolls and issuing voter ID cards.
• Announcing election schedules and supervising voting and counting.
• Registering political parties and allotting election symbols.
• Enforcing the Model Code of Conduct, which sets rules for parties and candidates once elections are announced.
• Monitoring campaign spending and taking action against violations.

The Commission is headed by the Chief Election Commissioner along with other Election Commissioners. The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed only in the same way as a Supreme Court judge, which protects the office from political pressure. Appointments are now made under a 2023 law through a selection committee.