The Election Commission
How India's Election Commission manages the largest democratic exercise on Earth, the logistical marvel of Indian elections, and growing debates about the institution's independence.
The Scale of Indian Elections
India's general elections are the largest democratic exercise in human history. The 2024 election involved roughly 970 million eligible voters, over 1 million polling stations, and 15 million election workers. Voting is conducted in multiple phases over several weeks to allow security forces to be redeployed across the country. In the 2024 election, seven phases of voting took place between April and June.
The Election Commission of India (ECI), established in 1950, is a constitutional body responsible for administering elections at every level from local panchayats to the presidency. It maintains the electoral roll, schedules elections, enforces the Model Code of Conduct during campaigns, and oversees counting. The ECI has the power to postpone elections, disqualify candidates who violate rules, and even countermand results in constituencies where fraud is proven.
