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ELECTION
Introduction
The UK is a democracy in which MPs, councillors, MEPs and other elected
representatives are chosen in free and fair elections.
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an
individual to hold public office by voting.
Voting is your chance to help to choose the people who run the country, represent us in
Europe and your local area. You can register to vote if you are:
- 16 years old or over (you can vote once you are 18) and
- a British citizen or
- an Irish, Commonwealth or European Union citizen who is resident in the UK
Voting is not compulsory. Some of the elections that happen regularly in this country are:
- the UK Parliament
- Scottish Parliament
- National Assembly for Wales
- Northern Ireland Assembly
- European Parliament
- Local elections
- Mayoral elections in England
- Elections to the Greater London Authority (GLA)
- Police and Crime Commissioner elections
Elections An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated since the 17th century.[1]^ Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the executive and judiciary, and for regional and local government. This process is also used in many other private and business organizations, from clubs to voluntary associations and corporations The universal use of elections as a tool for selecting representatives in modern representative democracies is in contrast with the practice in the democratic archetype, ancient Athens, where the Elections were considered an oligarchic institution and most political offices were filled using sortition, also known as allotment, by which officeholders were chosen by lot.[3] Electoral reform describes the process of introducing fair electoral systems where they are not in place, or improving the fairness or effectiveness of existing systems. Psephology is the study of results and other statistics relating to elections (especially with a view to predicting future results). To elect means "to choose or make a decision", and so sometimes other forms of ballot such as referendums are referred to as elections, especially in the United States. Historical View:
In some countries, voting is required by law; if an eligible voter does not cast a vote, he or she may be subject to punitive measures such as a fine. Electoral systems Electoral systems are the detailed constitutional arrangements and voting systems that convert the vote into a political decision. The first step is to tally the votes, for which various vote counting systems and ballot types are used. Voting systems then determine the result on the basis of the tally. Most systems can be categorized as either proportional or majoritarian. Among the former are party-list proportional representation and additional member system. Among the latter are First Past the Post (FPP) (relative majority) and absolute majority. Many countries have growing electoral reform movements, which advocate systems such as approval voting, single transferable vote, instant runoff voting or a Condorcet method; these methods are also gaining popularity for lesser elections in some countries where more important elections still use more traditional counting methods. While openness and accountability are usually considered cornerstones of a democratic system, the act of casting a vote and the content of a voter's ballot are usually an important exception. The secret ballot is a relatively modern development, but it is now considered crucial in most free and fair elections, as it limits the effectiveness of intimidation. Democratic Elections
Jeane Kirkpatrick, scholar and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has offered this definition: "Democratic elections are not merely symbolic....They are competitive, periodic, inclusive, definitive elections in which the chief decision-makers in a government are selected by citizens who enjoy broad freedom to criticize government, to publish their criticism and to present alternatives." What do Kirkpatrick's criteria mean? Democratic elections are competitive. Opposition parties and candidates must enjoy the freedom of speech, assembly, and movement necessary to voice their criticisms of the government openly and to bring alternative policies and candidates to the voters. Simply permitting the opposition access to the ballot is not enough. Elections in which the opposition is barred from the airwaves, has its rallies harassed or its newspapers censored, are not democratic. The party in power may enjoy the advantages of incumbency, but the rules and conduct of the election contest must be fair. Democratic elections are periodic. Democracies do not elect dictators or presidents-for-life. Elected officials are accountable to the people, and they must return to the voters at prescribed intervals to seek their mandate to continue in office. This means that officials in a democracy must accept the risk of being voted out of office. The one exception is judges who, to insulate them against popular pressure and help ensure their impartiality, may be appointed for life and removed only for serious improprieties. Democratic elections are inclusive. The definition of citizen and voter must be large enough to include a large proportion of the adult population. A government chosen by a small, exclusive group is not a democracy--no matter how democratic its internal workings may appear. One of the great dramas of democracy throughout history has been the struggle of excluded groups--whether racial, ethnic, or religious minorities, or women--to win full citizenship, and with it the right to vote and hold office. In the United States, for example, only white male property holders enjoyed the right to elect and be elected when the Constitution was signed in 1787. The property qualification disappeared by the early 19th century, and women won the right to vote in 1920. Black Americans, however, did not enjoy full voting rights in the southern United States until the civil rights movement of the 1960s. And finally, in 1971, younger citizens were given the right to vote when the United States lowered the voting age from 21 to
Democratic elections are definitive. They determine the leadership of the government. Subject to the laws and constitution of the country, popularly elected representatives hold the reins of power. They are not simply figureheads or symbolic leaders. Finally, democratic elections are not limited to selecting candidates. Voters can also be asked to decide policy issues directly through referendums and initiatives that are placed on the ballot. In the
Direct democracy is where citizens themselves vote for or against specific proposals or laws. Some city states in Ancient Greece had this system. With the large populations in modern countries it is possible only occasionally to do this. It happens in a plebiscite or referendum. In a democracy the ultimate power to decide significant electoral system reforms lies with the people. The key question that democrats will tend to ask of any proposed change in electoral law or the voting mechanism is: “Will it actually increase the capacity of the electorate to get rid of unsatisfactory rulers and replace them with others?” Democrats regard that basic capacity as the best protection against bad government and the abuse of power. Systems of government which do not permit electors to change the government are not democratic, and usually are dictatorships or one-party states. Difficulties with elections In many countries with weak rule of law, the most common reason why elections do not meet international standards of being "free and fair" is interference from the incumbent government. Dictators may use the powers of the executive (police, martial law, censorship, physical implementation of the election mechanism, etc.) to remain in power despite popular opinion in favor of
removal. Members of a particular faction in a legislature may use the power of the majority or supermajority (passing criminal laws, defining the electoral mechanisms including eligibility and district boundaries) to prevent the balance of power in the body from shifting to a rival faction due to an election. Non-governmental entities can also interfere with elections, through physical force, verbal intimidation, or fraud, which can result in improper casting or counting of votes. Monitoring for and minimizing electoral fraud is also an ongoing task in countries with strong traditions of free and fair elections. Election Process in India Elections form the backbone of democracy wherein people elect their political representatives and decide the composition of the government. Holding free and fair elections on a state and national level is integral to upholding the principles of democratic set up in India. From parliamentary elections to the presidential polls, India goes through the electoral process at regular intervals.
However, 42nd Amendment Act (1976) provided that until the figures for the first census after the year 2000 have been published, it shall not be necessary to readjust the allocation of seats to the States in the Lok Sabha.
- Filling of Nominations: The nomination of candidates is an important part of the election process. The regulations require that the candidate or the person who proposes his name file the nomination papers with the Returning Officer. In order to be chosen a member of the Rajya Sabha or the State Legislative Council, a person must be not less than 30 years of age. For election to the Lok Sabha or the State Legislative Assembly, a person should have attained an age of 25 years. A person is disqualified for being chosen as a member of any House, ▪ if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or of any State (The offices of Ministers or Deputy Ministers are not regarded as offices of profit for this purpose) ▪ if he is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court ▪ if he is an un-discharged insolvent ▪ if he has ceased to be a citizen of India ▪ if he is so disqualified under any law made by Parliament. The Representation of the People act, as amended from time to time disqualifies a person from the membership of a Legislature: ▪ if he has been found guilty of certain election offenses or corrupt practices in election ▪ if he has been convicted and sentenced to transportation or to imprisonment for not less than two years ▪ if he has been dismissed from government service for corruption or disloyalty to the State.
In 1988 many other offenses, such as cruelty towards women, were included among those which would cause disqualification for standing for election. But none of these disqualifications operates for a period of more than six years from the date of such conviction.
- Scrutiny of Nominations: The Returning Officer scrutinizes the nomination papers very carefully. When someone is dissatisfied, he is officially stopped from contesting election for six years. The candidates can withdraw their nomination papers even after they have been found in order. Every candidate standing for election to the Lok Sabha or to State Legislative Assembly has to make a security deposit of Rs. 10,000 arid Rs. 5,000 respectively. In case the candidate belongs to any of the Scheduled Castes or Tribes, the security deposit is reduced by half. The security deposit of such candidates as having obtained less than one-sixth of the total number of valid votes polled is forfeited. 4. Election Campaign:
The election campaign must be stopped 48 hours before the time when poll concludes on the polling day. Presiding Officer supervises the whole of the polling process and ensures that all persons working under him adhere to the electoral norms and practices. The voter records his vote either by placing the seal-mark against the name of the candidate he wants to vote for or by pressing the button of the voting machine.
- Counting of Votes and Declaration of Results: After the polling has ended the ballot boxes or the voting machines are sealed and carried under custody to the counting stations. Then the process of counting the votes begins. In 1979, the practice of booth-wise counting of ballot paper was revived.
It was done in the instance of the parties which insisted on knowing the voting pattern so that they could woo the voters and work vigorously in the areas where they were weak. Booth-wise counting was preferred for one more reason. The parties felt that by doing so it would be easier to detect rigging and take necessary action. However, there is no hard and fast rule as to the counting of votes and the Election authorities are free to mix up the ballot papers from all the booths if they feel that it ensured secrecy with regard to the pattern of voting. The candidate who obtains the highest number of votes is declared elected.
- Submission of Account Relating to Election Expenses: The law fixes the maximum limit of the expenses to be incurred by various contenders in their election. In 1998, the limit of election expenses for an Assembly election in most States was raised from Rs. 1.50 lakh to Rs. 6 lakhs. It was enhanced from Rs. 4.50 lakh to Rs. 15 lakhs for a Parliamentary contest. The candidates are required to file an account of the election expenses. It is a corrupt practice for a candidate to spend more money than the prescribed amount on his election.
- Election Disputes:
A political party is an organisation that seeks to influence, or control government policy, usually by nominating candidates and trying to win elections and hold public office. Parties choose candidates to represent them at elections. Independent candidates An independent candidate is a person who wishes to stand for election and is not chosen by a political party. The Returning Officer Elections are run by the Returning Officer, who works for the local authority. The Returning Officer is the official who is responsible for how the election is run and declares the result. The Election Commission
Commission overview
Formed 25 January 1950 (Later celebrated as National Voters Day)
Jurisdiction India
Headquarters
Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi[1]
28.623902°N 77.21140000000003°ECoordinates: 28.623902°N
77.21140000000003°E
Employees Around 300[2]
Commission
executives
Om Prakash Rawat, IAS, Chief Election Commissioner of India
Sunil Arora, IAS, Election Commissioner of India
Ashok Lavasa, IAS, Election Commissioner of India
The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering election processes in India. The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state Legislative Assemblies in India, and the offices of the Presidentand Vice President in the country. The Election Commission operates under the authority of Constitution per Article 324 , and subsequently enacted Representation of the People Act.The Commission has the powers under the Constitution, to act in an appropriate manner when the enacted laws make insufficient provisions to deal with a given situation in the conduct of an election. Being a constitutional authority, Election Commission is amongst the few institutions which function with both autonomy and freedom, along with the country’s higher judiciary, the Union Public Service Commission and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. We are an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. We regulate political funding and spending and set standards for well-run elections. We:
- register political parties
- make sure people understand and follow the rules on party and election finance
- publish details of where parties and candidates get money from and how they spend it
- set the standards for electoral registration and running elections and report on how well this is done
- make sure people understand that it is important to register to vote, and know how to vote The Electoral Commission produces guidance for candidates and parties standing for election Elections in India
LOK SABHA ELECTIONS First Second Third Year Election Total seats Part y Seat s % votes Part y Seat s % votes Party Seat s % votes 1951-52 [ ][13][14] 1st Lok Sabha 489 INC 364 44.99% CPI 16 3.29% SOC 12 10.59% 1957 [15]^ 2nd Lok Sabha 494 INC 371 47.78% CPI 27 8.92% PSP 19 10.41% 1962 3rd Lok Sabha 494 INC 361 44.72% CPI 29 9.94% SWA 18 7.89% 1967 4th Lok Sabha 520 INC 283 40.78% SWA 44 8.67% BJS 35 9.31% 1971 5th Lok Sabha 518 INC 352 43.68% CPM 25 5.12% CPI 23 4.73% 1977 6th Lok Sabha 542 JP 330 41.32% INC 154 34.52% CPM 22 4.29% 1980 7th Lok Sabha 529 ( 542 *^ ) INC(I) 351 42.69% JNP(S) 41 9.39% CPM 37 6.24% 1984 8th Lok Sabha 514 INC 404 49.01% TDP 30 4.31% CPM 22 5.87% 1989 9th Lok Sabha 529 INC 197 39.53% JD 143 17.79% BJP 85 11.36% 1991 10th Lok Sabha 521 INC 232 36.26% BJP 120 20.11% JD 59 11.84% 1996 11th Lok Sabha 543 BJP 161 20.29% INC 140 28.80% JD 46 23.45% 1998 12th Lok Sabha 545 BJP 182 25.59% INC 141 25.82% CPM 32 5.16% 1999 13th Lok Sabha 545 BJP 182 23.75% INC 114 28.30% CPM 33 5.40% 2004 14th Lok Sabha 543 INC 145 26.53% BJP 138 22.16% CPM 43 5.66% 2009 15th Lok Sabha 545 INC 206 28.55% BJP 116 18.80% SP 23 3.23% 2014 16th Lok Sabha 545 BJP 282 31.34% INC 44 19.52% AIADMK 37 3.31% 12 seats in Assam and 1 in Meghalaya did not vote. ● AIADMK - All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ● BJP - Bharatiya Janata Party
● BJS - Bharatiya Jana Sangh ● BLD - Bharatiya Lok Dal ● CPI - Communist Party of India ● CPM - Communist Party of India (Marxist) ● DMK - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ● INC - Indian National Congress ● INC(I) - Indian National Congress (Indira) ● JD - Janata Dal ● JNP(S) - Janata Party (Secular) ● JP - Janata Party ● PSP - Praja Socialist Party ● RLD - Rashtriya Lok Dal ● SOC - Socialist Party ● SP - Samajwadi Party ● SWA - Swatantra Party ● TDP - Telugu Desam Party Elections in Tamil Nadu
