ELECTION COMMISSION - POLITY
News: Election
bodies expect social media platforms to use ‘algorithm power’ to proactively
red-flag fake news: CEC
What's in the news?
● Inclusive
elections truthfully reflect the expression of the collective will of people
and are a hallmark of democracy, said the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv
Kumar and stressed on the challenges of social media and their intersection
with election management bodies (EMBs).
● The
EMBs, the CEC added, expected social media platforms to use their “algorithm
power, to proactively red-flag fake news”.
Election commission of India:
● The
Election commission of India is a permanent,
autonomous, quasi-judicial and constitutional body created under Article 324 in
part 15 of the constitution.
● It
is the supreme body vested with powers of supervision, control and direction
over all aspects of electoral governance in the country.
● The
Election Commission was established in 1950
with the primary goal of managing and controlling and responsible for conducting free and fair elections of
parliament, state legislature, the office of president of India and the office
of vice-president of India.
Composition:
● The
Election Commission shall consist of the Chief
Election Commissioner and a such number of other Election Commissioners, if
any, as the president may from time to time fix.
● The
appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners
shall be made by the president.
● Till
1989, the election commission was a single-member body consisting of only the
Chief Election Commissioner when two more election commissioners were appointed
functioning as a multi-member body.
● Again
between 1990 and 1993 the election commission was a single-member body.
● Presently
the Election Commission has a Chief Election commissioner and two other
election commissioners.
Conditions and tenure:
● The
conditions of service and tenure of office of the election commissioners and
the regional commissioners shall be determined
by the President.
Appointment of Members of Election Commission of India:
● The
Constitution does not provide any educational, legal, administrative or
judicial qualification for the appointment of members of the election
commission.
● It
has authorized the Parliament to make laws for the appointment of members of
the election commission. The parliament, however, has not enacted any law in
this regard.
Election Commissioners:
● The
Chief Election Commissioners and the two other Election Commissioners have
equal powers and receive equal salary, allowances and other perquisites, which
are similar to those of a judge of the Supreme Court.
● In
case of difference of opinion
amongst the Chief Election Commissioner and/or two other election
commissioners, the matter is decided by
the Commission by the majority.
● They
hold office for a term of six years or
until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. They can
resign at any time or can also be removed before the expiry of their term.
Independence:
● The
Chief Election Commissioner is
provided with the security of tenure.
● He
cannot be removed from his office except in the same manner and on the same
grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court.
● The
service conditions of the chief election commissioner cannot be varied to his
disadvantage after his appointment.
● Any
other election commissioner or a regional commissioner cannot be removed from
office except on the recommendation of the chief election commissioner.