The Citizens’ Commission on Elections was set up in March 2020 to critically analyse India’s electoral processes in accordance with democratic principles.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the “legal exceptionalism” of election time must be examined to see the constraints that the pandemic places on the Election Commission of India, as well as the “special” responsibilities that it must discharge to ensure that procedural certainties are commensurate with a public health emergency. This article argues that the focus on the pandemic must not take our attention away from the larger concerns around the conduct of the commission and its implications for trust in the institution and electoral integrity.
Election Commission of India: Institutionalising Democratic Uncertainties by Ujjwal Kumar Singh and Anupama Roy, New Delhi: Oxford University Press,pp 384, ₹1,100 (hardcover).
The conduct of elections in India hinges upon the impartiality of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure a level playing field to candidates.
This paper traces the evolution of the Election Commission of India through five phases since its formation. Its effectiveness is studied across four parameters—inclusiveness, rule of law, efficiency, and accountability of the election process. Within the changing sociopolitical and legal context, the institutional characteristics of the ECI (role, powers, independence, structure, and functioning) have allowed it to ensure free and fair elections with varying success. Variations in the ECI’s success during the five phases offer clues as to how it can address more complex problems, and the direction to take in structuring and supporting other apex oversight institutions.
