ECI was established on 25th January 1950, hence, the day is celebrated as the National Voters’ Day.
About ECI
- About: It is a permanent Constitutional Body.
- Article 324 has vested the power of superintendence, direction and control of elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, offices of President and Vice-President with the ECI.
- Composition: 1 Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) & such number of other Election Commissioners (ECs), as the President may fix.
- Currently, consists of one CEC and two ECs.
- Appointment: President appoints CEC and ECs.
- Tenure: 6 years or 65 years of age whichever is earlier.
- Status, Salary, and Perks: Same as the Judges of the Supreme Court (SC).
- Removal: CEC can be removed in the manner and grounds same as the judge of the SC.
Key Achievements of ECI
- Successful Elections: It has a track record of conducting 18 Lok Sabha and over 400 State Legislative Assembly Elections successfully.
- Elector Registration: Achieved a milestone of 100 crore registered electors celebrating Indian democracy.
- Improved Gender Ratio: The gender ratio of registered voters improved to 948 women per 1,000 men (2024) from 928 (2019).
- Check on criminalization of politics: Introduction of requirement to publish details of candidates with pending criminal cases.
- Various Initiatives: Like Systematic Voters' Education & Electoral Participation (SVEEP) for voter education, SAKSHAM app to facilitate voting by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
