Aspirant Academy

Polity, Governance and Current Affairs

Key Points at a Glance

Voting Behavior, Electoral Reforms, Elections

Paper III · Unit 1 Section 1 of 11 0 PYQs 28 min
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Key Points at a Glance

  1. Voting Behavior — Key Determinants

    • Pattern of how individuals/groups decide whether to vote and whom to vote for
    • Caste is the most important determinant in India
    • Other factors: religion, regional/linguistic identity, incumbency (anti-incumbency)
    • Also shapes choices: candidate image, party leadership, welfare delivery, economic issues

  2. Election Commission of India — Constitutional Basis

    • Established under Article 324 of the Constitution
    • Mandated to superintend, direct, and control elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, Presidency, and Vice-Presidency
    • As of 2025: Chief Election Commissioner + 2 Election Commissioners
    • An independent constitutional body

  3. EVMs and VVPAT — Key Facts

    • EVMs used in all Indian General Elections since 2004
    • Manufactured by BEL (Bharat Electronics Ltd) and ECIL (Electronics Corporation of India Ltd)
    • Stand-alone — not internet-connected; validated by technical expert committees
    • VVPAT machines deployed nationwide from 2019 Lok Sabha elections

  4. NOTA — Introduction and Effect

    • Introduced following SC order in PUCL v. Union of India (2013)
    • Available on EVMs as the last option on the ballot
    • NOTA votes are counted and published separately
    • Do not affect results — even if NOTA gets the most votes, no re-election; next-highest candidate wins

  5. Model Code of Conduct — Nature and Scope

    • Comes into force immediately on announcement of election schedule
    • Restricts: new scheme announcements, use of government machinery for campaigns, transfer of senior officials without ECI approval
    • No statutory backing — enforced through ECI's moral authority and Article 324 powers

  6. Representation of the People Acts — Distinction

    • RPA 1950: Delimitation of constituencies and preparation of electoral rolls
    • RPA 1951: Conduct of elections, qualification of candidates, election offences, corrupt practices, election disputes
    • Together these two acts form the primary electoral legislation

  7. Electoral Bonds — Scheme and Annulment

    • Electoral Bonds Scheme (2018): Anonymous financing — bonds purchased from SBI, donated to political parties
    • ADR v. Union of India (2024): Five-judge SC bench unanimously struck it down as unconstitutional
    • Violated voters' right to information under Article 19(1)(a)
    • SBI directed to submit all data to ECI; donor-recipient data published publicly

  8. Voter Turnout Trends

    • 2024 Lok Sabha: 65.79% turnout; ~97 crore eligible voters; 543 constituencies; 7 phases
    • Turnout has generally risen since 1952 (45.7%)
    • Women's turnout has exceeded men's in some elections since 2014
    • Rajasthan 2023 Assembly election: 74.2% turnout

  9. Anti-Incumbency — Indian Pattern

    • One of the strongest forces in Indian elections
    • Ruling parties at state level lose approximately 60–70% of elections
    • Reflects voter punishment for governance failures, unmet promises, and leadership fatigue
    • Rajasthan: BJP-Congress alternation every 5 years since 1993 is the classic example

  10. Electoral Reform Committees

    • Law Commission Report 255 (2015): State funding of elections, cap on expenditure, criminalization of vote-buying, fast-track dispute resolution
    • Dinesh Goswami Committee (1990): Partial state funding of elections recommended
    • Indrajit Gupta Committee (1998): Also recommended partial state funding

  11. CEC Appointment Act 2023 — Changed Process

    • Appointment now by a 3-member Selection Committee: PM (Chair), one Union Cabinet Minister, Leader of Opposition (or largest opposition party leader in LS)
    • A Search Committee of 5 senior bureaucrats prepares a panel of names
    • Earlier process: President appointed CEC and ECs on advice of PM — no formal committee
    • Anoop Baranwal v. UoI (2023): SC had directed an independent committee including CJI; new law excluded CJI

  12. One Nation One Election — Kovind Committee (2024)

    • Ram Nath Kovind Committee (2024) recommended holding LS and all State Assembly elections simultaneously
    • Benefits: reduced election expenditure, end of continuous MCC constraints, better governance continuity
    • Challenges: federal autonomy of states, early dissolution scenarios
    • Constitutional amendments needed: Articles 83, 85, 172, 174