Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

Related Articles

SOUTH CHINA SEA

September 30, 2023

Forced labour and modern-day slavery

September 28, 2023

India and Ukraine

September 27, 2023

GS-2

ELECTION COMMISSION WORKING ON REMOTE VOTING SYSTEM

Issue

The model of an Aadhaar-linked electronic voting system that would enable electors to cast their votes from any part of the country, irrespective of where they are registered to vote or even abroad, is being prepared for the Election Commission of India by the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M).

Background

If the project is given the go-ahead by the ECI, changes to the election laws would be required for which the Law Ministry needs to be approached.

Details

• To start with, the proposal would be to enable voting at designated centres in different cities, but the second phase of the project, if approved, could be used to enable overseas electors to cast their votes.
• The system would allow, for example, a Delhi-registered elector who happens to be in Hyderabad to cast his or her vote in elections in the Capital electronically.
• With the proposed linking of the Aadhaar biometrics with voter IDs at an advanced stage,the two-way electronic voting system would be possible only when the linking is complete.
• The ECI had used a one-way electronic system for service electors for the first time in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The postal ballots were transmitted electronically to the service electors, which led to an increased turnout or 60.14%.

 Election Commission of India

• The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering election processes in India at national, state and district level.
• The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state Legislative Assemblies, state legislative Councils, and the offices of the President and Vice President of the country.
• The Election Commission operates under the authority of Constitution per Article 324, and subsequently enacted Representation of the People Act.

 Functions

• The commission has the power to designate political party insignia and is prohibited from allowing the same insignia by two different parties regardless of differing locations. It set limits on poll expenses.
• The commission is responsible for maintenance of the electoral rolls and establishing the schedules of elections.

 Removal

• The Chief Election Commissioner of India can be removed from office as can be a judge of the Supreme Court of India: a two-thirds majority resolution passed by the Parliament of India (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) outlining the grounds of misbehavior or incapacity.

Other Election Commissioners can be removed by the President of India on the advice of the Chief Election Commissioner

SOURCE:THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES