Election Commission -Free and Fair elections

I am writing this post when the 6th phase of the  General Elections 2014 to Indian Parliament is being held today . Amidst the election tumult and jubilation pervading across the nation ,most of us forget the thankless and mammoth job undertaken by the Election commission to conduct free and fair elections .The final phase of this election is on 12,May 2014. We are the largest democracy in the world. We can surely be proud ,by and large ,for a country of our size and population  Indian elections are free and fair .Most importantly elections are held at regular intervals as enshrined in the constitution . Indian elections are easily  the largest and biggest voting event in the world.This time  814 million Indians are exercising their franchise spread over six weeks. It is a mind boggling figure .Election  after election the number of eligible voters are swelling .The EC is coping to the increased responsibilities admirably.There is an increase of 101 million voters this time than the previous election held in 2009 .It is no wonder the EC designed and introduced the Electronic Voting machines three decades ago. Though the technology needs some upgradation ,by and large ,EVM's are fool proof . I would say the EC was pro active in introducing EVM's three decades ago . 

The EVM's were designed by two public sector undertakings Bharat Electronics,Bangalore and Electronics Corporation of India,Hyderabad.Nepal, Bhutan, Namibia and Kenya have purchased our EVMs. Fiji is interested to use Indian EVMs in their next elections in 2014.Besides many Asian and African countries are also interested in using our EVM's. Our EVM's are stand alone machines .In this election, the EC is using Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines, used on a trial basis, on the directions of supreme  court in select constituencies . VVPAT is a system in which voting machines  allow voters to verify that their vote was cast correctly , to detect  election fraud or malfunction, and to provide a means to audit the stored electronic results.Dr.Subramanyam Swamy's case in Supreme court is mainly instrumental in bringing  about this feature in the EVM.

Here are some statistics to understand the complexities of the Indian general elections and the role of EC to hlod the elections peacefully  in a free and fair manner.Number of parties contesting the polls this time is 370. About 160 million voters would be voting for the first time in this election . 9,30,000 polling booths are used this time.This is nearly 1 lakh more than the number of booths used in 2009 elections .The election commission decides election schedule based on  school examinations /vacation - for avaiability of polling booths and man power requirements .Along with government officials school teachers are engaged  by EC for election work .Other points considered for determining general election schedule include weather conditions and harvest seasons .

Even after polling is over the EC has the responsibility to maintain a tight vigil over transportation of sealed EVM's to counting centres and safeguard them until results are announced.For a mammoth election, of this size,the results are announced on a single day . The EC is by and large independent despite attempts by political parties to interfere in its function.Indian EC is working against heavy odds like  corrupt electoral practices,electoral offences,money , muscle power, and misuse of government machinery . Despite all this the EC has been able to rein in political parties by enforcing stringent code of conduct,curtailing electoral expenses,and making electoral expenses accounting mandatory .In the 90's the election campaigns  were violent .In the 1991 election campaigning about 350 persons were killed .Thanks to former EC T.N.Shehsan for his ruthless implementation of electoral guidelines . No wonder the political class rose against Sheshan and wanted to undermine the EC's authority . The political class ensured the EC is made a multi member body by inducting two more additional Election commissioners and making decision making by majority vote .

The Election Commission of India is genuinely non partisan .This could be achieved only because the EC is an independent and dispassionate body .The CEC can be removed from office only by impeachment by two third majority in the parliament .Besides ,once the election process is started ,the judiciary in our country does not interfere in the powers of the EC. This is more of a convention followed by the judiciary .Another important aspect of our constitution is that once  polls are over and results are announced the EC can not review any result already declared . This can be reviewed only by filing an election petition in the High court.

It is a solace for many of us ,when democracy in our country is  " off  people ,buy the people and far the people " ,an institution like the EC ensures a fool proof  election process .Of late our  EC has started sharing its experience and expertise in electoral management,administration,electoral laws and reforms to many  nations .Besides Election Officials from the national electoral bodies from  several countries like Russia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Thailand, Nigeria, Australia, the United States and Afganistan have visited the Commission for a better understanding of our Electoral Process.The Commission  has also provided experts and observers for elections to other countries through United Nations and the Commonwealth Secretariat.