Electoral Reforms in India:
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has invited political parties to discuss strengthening elections amid allegations of electoral roll manipulation and duplicate Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers.
Legal Provisions Governing Elections:
- Article 324: Grants the ECI the authority to supervise, direct, and control the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections to Parliament and State legislatures.
- Representation of the People Act, 1950: It includes provisions for election officers such as chief electoral officers, district election officers, and electoral registration officers, as well as electoral rolls for Parliamentary, Assembly, and Council constituencies.
- Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA): Deals with the pre-election process, mainly the preparation and maintenance of electoral rolls.
- Registration of Electors Rules, 1960: Lays down detailed procedures for the implementation of electoral roll-related provisions under RPA, 1951. E.g., Guidelines for the inclusion, correction, or deletion of names in electoral rolls.
- Delimitation Act, 2002: It was enacted to redraw the boundaries of parliamentary and assembly constituencies based on the latest Census data.
