Frequantly Asked Questions

1. Q 1 Which authority conducts elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President of India ?
   
   Answer: Under Article 324(1) of the Constitution of India, the Election Commission of India, inter-alia, is vested with the power of superintendence, direction and control of conducting the elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President of India. Detailed provisions are made under the Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections Act, 1952 and the rules made thereunder.
2. Q 2 Which authority conducts elections to Parliament?
   
   Answer: The same Article 324 also vests in the Commission the powers of superintendence, direction and control of the elections to both Houses of Parliament. Detailed provisions are made under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the rules made thereunder.
3. Q 3 Which authority conducts elections to the State Legislative Assemblies and Legislative Councils?
   
   Answer: Article 324 (1) also vests in the Commission the powers of superintendence, direction and control of the elections to both Houses of the State Legislature. Detailed provisions are made under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the rules made thereunder.
4. Q 4 Which authority conducts elections to Corporations, Municipalities and other Local Bodies ?
   
   Answer: The State Election Commissions constituted under the Constitution (Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth) Amendments Act, 1992 for each State / Union Territory are vested with the powers of conduct of elections to the Corporations, Muncipalities, Zilla Parishads, District Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, Gram Panchayats and other local bodies. They are independent of the Election Commission of India.
5. Q 5 What is the present composition of the Election Commission?
   
   Answer: At present, the Election Commission of India is a three-member body, with one Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.
6. Q 6 Who appoints the Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners?
   
   Answer: Under Article 324(2) of the Constitution of India, the President of India is empowered to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners.
7. Q 7 Who supervises the election work in a State ?
   
   Answer: As per section 13A of the Representation of the People Act 1950, read with section 20 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of a State/ Union Territory is authorised to supervise the election work in the State/Union Territory subject to the overall superintendence, direction and control of the Election Commission.
8. Q 8 . Who appoints the Chief Electoral Officer?
   
   Answer: The Election Commission of India nominates or designates an Officer of the Government of the State/Union Territory as the Chief Electoral Officer in consultation with that State Government/Union Territory Administration.
9. Q 9 Who supervises the election work in a District?
   
   Answer: As per section 13AA of the Representation of the People Act 1950, subject to the superintendence, direction and control of the Chief Electoral Officer, the District Election Officer (DEO) supervises the election work of a district.
10. Q 10 Who appoints the District Election Officer?
    
    Answer: The Election Commission of India nominates or designates an Officer of the State Government as the District Election Officer in consultation with the State Government.
11. Q 11 What is the minimum age for enrollment in an electoral roll?
    
    Answer: For every constituency, there is a voters list Article 326 of the Constitution, and Sec. 19 of R. P. Act, 1950 stipulate that the minimum age for registration of a voter is 18 years.
12. Q 12 Was 18 the minimum voting age in India from the beginning?
    
    Answer: No. Earlier, the age for registration of a voter was 21 years. Through the 61st amendment Act, 1988 of the Constitution read with Act 21 of 1989 amending the R. P. Act, 1950, the minimum age of registration of a voter has been brought down to 18 years. This has been made effective from 28th March, 1989.
13. Q 13 Which is the relevant date for determining the age qualification of 18 years? Suppose, you have completed 18 years of age today. Can you get yourself registered as voter?
    
    Answer: According to Section 14 (b) of the R. P. Act, 1950, the qualifying date means the first day of January of the year in which the electoral roll is prepared or revised.
14. Q 14 Can a non-citizen of India become a voter?
    
    Answer: No. A person who is not a citizen of India cannot be registered as a voter. Article 326 of the Constitution read with Sec. 16 of R. P. Act, 1950 clarify the point.
15. Q 15 If I am working and living in Delhi, can I be a voter in my native village?
    
    Answer: No. If you are working in Delhi and residing there, you are an ordinary resident of Delhi in terms of Sec 19 (b). Therefore you can be enrolled at Delhi only and not in your native village.
16. Q 16 How can I get registered/enrolled in the Electoral Roll?
    
    Answer: You have to submit a filled in Form - 6 to the ERO of the Assembly Constituency.
17. Q 17 What is the procedure to make corrections in such names/other details that have been mis-spelt in the Electoral Roll?
    
    Answer: For incorporation of corrections in the Electoral Rolls, You have to submit Form - 8 to the ERO of the Assembly Constituency.
    Following are the various forms useful for registration as voter, corrections, change in address etc.
    For inclusion of names Form 6
    For any objection on inclusion of names Form 7
    For correction of entries in the Electoral Rolls Form 8
    For transposition of entry in electoral roll Form 8A
18. Q 18 I have shifted my residence recently. How do I ensure that I am enrolled in my new place of residence and my name is deleted from the old place?
    
    Answer: In case the new residence is in the same constituency please fill Form 8A otherwise form 6 and submit to the ERO (SDM) or the AERO of the area of your new residence.
19. Q 19 I have shifted my residence recently. I have Photo EPIC Card with the old address. Can I get new EPIC Card for the present address?
    
    Answer: First of all please ensure that you have enrolled yourself in the Electoral Roll of the concerned AC, where you are now residing following the procedure given in Ans. No.18. Subsequently, a new card at the present address will be issued to you.
20. Q 20 My old EPIC Card is defective. I would like to have a new EPIC Card with correct particulars. What is the procedure?
    
    Answer: You can get your EPIC Card rectified by depositing it in the Office of the ERO concerned.