{"id":372454,"date":"2026-09-23T18:05:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T12:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=372454"},"modified":"2026-09-23T18:05:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T12:35:12","slug":"election-commission-of-india-eci-roles-responsibilities-limitations-explained-pointwise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/election-commission-of-india-eci-roles-responsibilities-limitations-explained-pointwise\/","title":{"rendered":"Election Commission of India (ECI) \u2013 Roles, Responsibilities &#038; Limitations \u2013 Explained Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-372460\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_xuygb0xuygb0xuyg.png?resize=750%2C409&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Election Commission of India\" width=\"750\" height=\"409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_xuygb0xuygb0xuyg.png?w=1408&amp;ssl=1 1408w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_xuygb0xuygb0xuyg.png?resize=300%2C164&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_xuygb0xuygb0xuyg.png?resize=1024%2C559&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gemini_Generated_Image_xuygb0xuygb0xuyg.png?resize=768%2C419&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A recent investigation by a leading newspaper has brought renewed attention to the internal functioning and decision-making process of the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to the investigation, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly recorded objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months regarding decisions and orders connected with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), including voter registration, deletion and restoration of names and electoral-roll management.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Table of Content<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><a href=\"#h1\">What is the Election Commission of India (ECI) &amp; What are its constitutional status and composition?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h2\">What are the major roles and responsibilities of the Election Commission of India (ECI)?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h3\">What are the key powers of the Election Commission of India under the Constitution?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h4\">What are the major limitations &amp; criticisms of the Election Commission of India (ECI)?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h5\">What are the various recommendations made by different commissions &amp; Supreme Court to improve the effectiveness, transparency and accountability of the Election Commission of India (ECI)?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h1\"><\/a>What is the Election Commission of India (ECI) &amp; What are its constitutional status and composition?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong data-start=\"43\" data-end=\"81\">Election Commission of India (ECI)<\/strong> is an autonomous, permanent <strong>constitutional body<\/strong> established on January 25, 1950,\u00a0responsible for supervising, directing and controlling elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President.<\/li>\n<li>It is a <strong data-start=\"401\" data-end=\"434\">permanent constitutional body<\/strong> and derives its authority directly from the Constitution.<\/li>\n<li>Since October 1993, the ECI is a <strong data-start=\"1906\" data-end=\"1927\">three-member body<\/strong> comprising the CEC and two Election Commissioners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Constitutional Status:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"5,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Part XV (Articles 324\u2013329):<\/b> Governs the electoral system in India.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"312\" data-end=\"327\">Article 324<\/strong> of the Constitution provides for the establishment of the ECI.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Composition:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Under <strong data-start=\"1343\" data-end=\"1358\">Article 324<\/strong>, the ECI consists of:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Such number of <strong>Election Commissioners (ECs)<\/strong> as the President may determine from time to time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>The <strong data-start=\"1531\" data-end=\"1553\">President appoints<\/strong> the CEC and other Election Commissioners, subject to the law made by Parliament. Currently, appointments are governed by the <strong data-start=\"278\" data-end=\"352\">Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>When other Election Commissioners are appointed, the <strong data-start=\"1690\" data-end=\"1721\">CEC acts as the Chairperson<\/strong> of the Commission.<\/li>\n<li>The Commission may also have <strong data-start=\"1772\" data-end=\"1807\">Regional Election Commissioners<\/strong>, who may be appointed by the President after consultation with the ECI.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tenure<\/strong>: <b data-path-to-node=\"9,4,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">6 years<\/b> or until attaining the age of <b data-path-to-node=\"9,4,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"38\">65 years<\/b>, whichever occurs earlier.<\/li>\n<li>All Election Commissioners enjoy <strong data-start=\"33\" data-end=\"78\">equal voting rights and equivalent status<\/strong>, with decisions of the Commission taken by <strong data-start=\"122\" data-end=\"134\">majority<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>They are entitled to salary and other conditions of service equivalent to those of a<strong data-start=\"157\" data-end=\"260\"> Judge of the Supreme Court of India.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h2\"><\/a>What are the major roles and responsibilities of the Election Commission of India (ECI)?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ecf78b;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 3.22416%;\"><strong>Administrative Functions &amp; Responsibilities<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 96.7758%;\">\n<ol>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Delimitation &amp; Constituencies:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-132 citation-end-132\">Determines the territorial boundaries of electoral constituencies across the country based on the Delimitation Commission Acts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Electoral Rolls &amp; EPIC:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-131 citation-end-131\">Prepares, updates, and periodically revises the voter list (electoral roll) to register all eligible citizens and issue Electronic Photo Identity Cards (EPIC).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Election Schedule &amp; Operations:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-130 citation-end-130\">Formulates and announces the dates and schedules for elections, receives and scrutinizes candidate nomination papers, and manages polling stations and counting centers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Registration of Political Parties:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-129 citation-end-129\">Grants official recognition to political parties and classifies them as National or State parties based on their poll performance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,4,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Symbol Allocation:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-128 citation-end-128\">Allots official election symbols to recognized political parties and independent candidates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Model Code of Conduct (MCC):<\/b> <span class=\"citation-127 citation-end-127\">Enforces the MCC during elections to ensure a level playing field, preventing the misuse of official machinery, state resources, or corrupt campaign practices by political parties and candidates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,6,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Monitoring Campaign Expenditure:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-126 citation-end-126\">Sets ceiling limits for candidate campaign spending and monitors expenditures to curb the influence of money power in elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,7,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Poll Control &amp; Cancellation:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-125 citation-end-125\">Vested with the power to cancel or postpone polls in cases of booth-capturing, widespread violence, rigging, or operational irregularities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 3.22416%;\"><strong>Advisory Functions<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 96.7758%;\">\n<ol>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Disqualification of MPs:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-124\">Advises the <\/span><span class=\"citation-124\">President of India<\/span><span class=\"citation-124 citation-end-124\"> on matters concerning the post-election disqualification of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Disqualification of MLAs:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-123\">Advises the <\/span><span class=\"citation-123\">Governors<\/span><span class=\"citation-123 citation-end-123\"> of respective states regarding the post-election disqualification of sitting Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">President\u2019s Rule &amp; Elections:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-122 citation-end-122\">Advises the President whether elections can be held in a state under President&#8217;s Rule to determine if the state emergency can be extended beyond one year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 3.22416%;\"><strong>Quasi-Judicial Functions<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 96.7758%;\">\n<ol>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Party Recognition &amp; Symbol Disputes:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-121 citation-end-121\">Acts as a court to hear and settle disputes relating to the recognition of political parties or rival claims to party names and symbols (e.g. party splits or mergers).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Candidate Disqualifications:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-120 citation-end-120\">Recommends the disqualification of candidates found guilty of corrupt election practices by the High Courts or Supreme Court.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"12,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Non-submission of Expense Accounts:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-119 citation-end-119\">Exercises the power to disqualify candidates who fail to lodge their election expenditure accounts within the prescribed time and format.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h3\"><\/a>What are the key powers of the Election Commission of India under the Constitution?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong data-start=\"279\" data-end=\"324\">Superintendence, direction and control of elections:<\/strong> The ECI has overall constitutional authority to supervise and manage elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"496\" data-end=\"531\">Preparation of electoral rolls:<\/strong> It supervises the preparation and revision of electoral rolls and ensures that electoral rolls are properly maintained.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"656\" data-end=\"694\">Appointment of election officials:<\/strong> The ECI can require the necessary staff and personnel for conducting elections and exercises control over election-related officials during the electoral process..<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"866\" data-end=\"899\">Fixing the election schedule:<\/strong> It determines the election programme, including the timing of various stages of elections, subject to the statutory framework.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"1481\" data-end=\"1514\">Regulating electoral conduct:<\/strong> The ECI monitors compliance with the <strong data-start=\"1552\" data-end=\"1577\">Model Code of Conduct<\/strong> and can issue directions to maintain a level playing field during elections.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"1659\" data-end=\"1698\">Countermanding or postponing polls:<\/strong> In appropriate circumstances provided by law, the ECI can order adjournment or fresh polling where serious electoral irregularities, violence or other disruptions affect the integrity of the poll.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"2141\" data-end=\"2179\">Residual powers under Article 324:<\/strong> Where legislation is silent or inadequate, the Supreme Court has recognised that the ECI can exercise plenary powers under Article 324, provided such action is consistent with the Constitution and existing law.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h4\"><\/a>What are the major limitations &amp; criticisms of the Election Commission of India (ECI)?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong data-start=\"342\" data-end=\"375\">Appointment-related concerns:<\/strong> The method of appointing Election Commissioners has been debated in the context of institutional independence. The current statutory framework provides for a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"3,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Post-Retirement Appointments:<\/b> The absence of restrictions on CECs and Election Commissioners accepting government or political appointments after retirement may raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the perceived independence of the Commission.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"697\" data-end=\"728\">Unequal removal protection:<\/strong> Under Article 324(5), the CEC enjoys protection similar to a Supreme Court judge regarding removal, while other Election Commissioners can be removed by the President only on the recommendation of the CEC. The ECI itself has previously advocated stronger constitutional protection for all its members.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"1077\" data-end=\"1116\">Dependence on government machinery:<\/strong> The ECI relies considerably on central and state government officials and administrative machinery for conducting elections, which can raise questions about operational autonomy.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"1304\" data-end=\"1347\">Limited control over political parties:<\/strong> Although the ECI can register and recognise political parties and regulate aspects of their electoral conduct, its powers over internal democracy, organisational functioning and political-party finances remain limited by the existing legal framework.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"1607\" data-end=\"1658\">Non-statutory Model Code of Conduct:<\/strong> The MCC is an important mechanism for maintaining a level playing field, but much of it does not have the status of a standalone statute. The ECI therefore often relies on existing election laws and its constitutional powers for enforcement.<\/li>\n<li><strong data-start=\"1943\" data-end=\"1993\">Challenges in regulating election expenditure:<\/strong> Monitoring actual campaign expenditure can be difficult because of the scale of elections, indirect spending and expenditure by political parties and third parties.<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"9,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Non-Charged Expenditure:<\/b> <span class=\"citation-204 citation-end-204\">Unlike the salaries of Supreme Court judges or the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) &#8211; which are directly charged to the Consolidated Fund of India &#8211; the ECI&#8217;s administrative budget relies on parliamentary approval, leaving it financially dependent on the government.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Special Intensive Revision (SIR):<\/strong> The SIR exercise faced criticism over the large-scale deletion or potential exclusion of voters, with concerns that marginalised and vulnerable groups could be disproportionately affected due to difficulties in verification and documentation requirements. Questions were also raised regarding the transparency of the verification process, the basis for identification of voters and procedural safeguards.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 class=\"blue-h2-box\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a id=\"h5\"><\/a>What are the various recommendations made by different commissions &amp; Supreme Court to improve the effectiveness, transparency and accountability of the Election Commission of India (ECI)?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Independent appointment mechanism<\/strong>:\n<ul>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"16\"><span class=\"citation-332\">Tarkunde Committee (1975)<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-332\">, <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"4,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"43\"><span class=\"citation-332\">Dinesh Goswami Committee (1990)<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-332\">, and the <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"4,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"84\"><span class=\"citation-332\">Law Commission (255th Report, 2015)<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-332 citation-end-332\"> recommended that appointments of the CEC and Election Commissioners (ECs) should be by <\/span>a multi-member collegium consisting of: the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Chief Justice of India (CJI).<\/li>\n<li><b data-path-to-node=\"4,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) <\/b>r<span class=\"citation-330 citation-end-330\">ecommended adding the Union Law Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha to the selection panel<\/span><\/li>\n<li>The Supreme Court in <strong data-start=\"354\" data-end=\"416\">Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India (2023)<\/strong> directed that, until Parliament enacted a law, the CEC and ECs should be appointed on the recommendation of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India. The Court emphasised the need for a fair, transparent and independent selection process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strengthen institutional independence<\/strong>: The <strong data-start=\"815\" data-end=\"855\">Law Commission&#8217;s 255th Report (2015)<\/strong> recommended reforms to strengthen the independence and effectiveness of the ECI. The Commission&#8217;s electoral-reform work specifically identified strengthening the Election Commission as an important objective.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Equal protection for all Election Commissioners<\/strong>: The <strong>Law Commission (255th Report)<\/strong>\u00a0argued for greater security of tenure for Election Commissioners, including protection comparable to that available to the CEC, to reduce the possibility of executive influence.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Greater financial autonomy<\/strong>: The ECI&#8217;s institutional independence can be strengthened by providing greater financial autonomy, including consideration of charging its administrative expenditure on the Consolidated Fund of India, rather than making it dependent on the annual appropriation process.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Statutory backing to the Model Code of Conduct<\/strong>: The Law Commission and other reform bodies have suggested strengthening the legal framework governing electoral conduct and MCC violations, enabling more effective and timely action against serious violations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strengthen electoral-roll management<\/strong>: Electoral-roll revision should combine accuracy with due process, ensuring that eligible voters are not inadvertently excluded. Clear notice, accessible claims-and-objections procedures and effective grievance redressal are important safeguards. The Supreme Court&#8217;s 2026 decision concerning Bihar&#8217;s SIR recognised the ECI&#8217;s power to undertake such revision while examining its statutory and constitutional safeguards.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Promote coordination with State Election Commissions<\/strong>: The 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission recommended an institutional mechanism bringing the ECI and State Election Commissions onto a common platform for coordination, sharing of experience and resources.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Conclusion<\/strong>: One of the objectives of electoral reforms in India should be to strengthen the ECI by making it financially autonomous as well as transparent &amp; accountable. Strengthening the Commission while ensuring appropriate checks and judicial oversight can enhance public confidence in India&#8217;s electoral democracy.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">UPSC GS-2: Indian Polity &#8211; Constitutional Bodies<br \/>\nRead More: <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/express-exclusive\/election-commission-gyanesh-kumar-sukhbir-sandhu-vivek-joshi-electoral-roll-control-systems-10889773\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indian Express<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A recent investigation by a leading newspaper has brought renewed attention to the internal functioning and decision-making process of the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to the investigation, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly recorded objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months regarding decisions and orders connected with&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/election-commission-of-india-eci-roles-responsibilities-limitations-explained-pointwise\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Election Commission of India (ECI) \u2013 Roles, Responsibilities &#038; Limitations \u2013 Explained Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10391,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-372454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10391"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=372454"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372454\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=372454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=372454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=372454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}