2014 ELECTIONS

9,19,452 Polling Stations

Nine Poll days
814 Million Registered Electors
EVMs: 17,20,080 control units
18,78,306 ballot units
7
34
322
Political Parties that participated in the
2009 General Elections
National Parties
State Parties
Registered (Unrecognised) Parties
ELECTORS
CANDIDATES
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF INDIA
Independent constitutional authority
For holding regular, free and fair elections
Three member body
Headquartered at New Delhi with organs
at state and district levels
Elections to the Lower House or House of the People (Lok Sabha) of the Indian
Parliament
Party or coalition that secures majority in Lok Sabha forms Government at the Centre.
ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA
When Elections Take Place
Every five years, unless House is dissolved earlier
Called earlier by the President upon dissolution of Lok Sabha, if Government loses
confidence of majority of members and if there is no alternative Government to take over
2014 Elections shall be the 16
th
; the 1
st
General Election was in 1951 - 1952.
Population
Electors
Enrolled
Electors
Voters
Who can vote
Any Indian citizen over the age of 18 on 1
st
January of the year and who is ordinarily resident
in the constituency concerned
Based on universal adult suffrage
Eligible elector to register in respective
constituency
Indian citizens living abroad also can be enrolled
at the address given in their passports
K
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1623
759
1859
3829
Contestants in the
2009 General Elections
Members of National Parties
Members of State Parties
Members of Registered Unrecognized Parties
Independents
POLITICAL PARTIES
Who can contest
Any Indian citizen who is registered as a voter & is over 25 years of age
May be either belonging to a party or independent
Every candidate is required to make a security deposit
Deposit is Rs. 25,000/- for General Candidates, Rs. 12,500/- for SCs and
STs
Candidates to file affidavit about their assets, liabilities, criminal
background and educational qualifications.
Conduct of elections largely dependent on their behaviour
Should be registered with ECI
INTRODUCTION
SVEEP
Systematic Voter Education
and Electoral Participation
To improve electoral
participation & to build up a
culture of participative
democracy
Integral part of election
management in India
EPIC
Electors Photo Identity Card
Provided upon registration to each individual elector
Provided free of cost
Division into Parliamentary Constituencies
Whole of India divided into 543 constituencies.
Based on number of seats allocated to each of the 28 states and 7 union territories
on the basis of their population.
Size and shape determined by Delimitation Commission of India.
One member elected to Lok Sabha from each constituency, filling 543 of 545
seats.
Two members nominated by the President from the Anglo-Indian community.
D
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T
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B
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F
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First-past-the-post Electoral
System
Each elector can vote for one
candidate
Candidate with maximum votes wins
Electoral Rolls
Lists of registered electors in each constituency
Revised annually
All rolls computerized & include photos of each
elector.
ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION
BETWEEN CONTESTANTS &
ELECTORS
THE ELECTORAL PROCESS
Supervising Elections
Done by Observers appointed by ECI
In order to:
Ensure fair conduct of
campaigns
Ensure free and ethical voting
Keep a check on election
expenditure
Types of Observers:
General Observers
Police Observers
Expenditure Observers
Awareness Observers
Micro Observers
Model Code of Conduct
For political parties and contestants
Broad guidelines on conduct during
campaign
Evolved by ECI on the basis of consensus
among political parties
To maintain campaign on healthy lines &
to ensure a level playing field
Limit on Poll Expenses
Tight legal limits on poll expenditure by
candidates
Varies between Rs.54 lakhs and Rs.70
lakhs
REGULATORY MECHANISMS
Scheduling the Elections
Done by Election Commission of
India
Considering weather, festivals,
school exams, etc.
Seeking to maximize electoral
participation
Generally held in phases to ensure
effective security arrangements for
peaceful poll
Electronic Voting
Machines
Voting by secret ballot
Used exclusively since 2004
General Elections
Polling Stations
Usually set up in public institutions
Within 2 km of every voter
No polling station to deal with more
than 1,500 voters
POLLING MANAGEMENT
Election Symbols
An election symbol is allotted to each candidate
and to each political party
Enable illiterate voters to identify the party and
candidate they wish to vote for
Candidates of recognized parties are allotted the
party symbol
Manifestos
Issued by parties and candidates on the eve of
election
Detail programmes they wish to implement if
elected, highlighting ones own strengths and
failures of opponents
79
41
423
Reserved for SC
Reserved for ST
General
Timeline of Poll Events
None of the Above (NOTA)
Introduced in 2013 in State Assembly
Elections
Shall be the last button on the EVM
Voter can press this button if he/she
does not wish to vote for any of the
candidates
Voter Verifiable Paper Audit
Trail (VVPAT)
Prints a ballot slip showing the name and
symbol of candidate to whom vote has
been given
To improve voter satisfaction
Counting of Votes
Done after completion of all phases of polling
Under the supervision of Returning Officers
and Election Observers
Counting for all 543 constituencies done on a
single day
Results declared within a few hours
Indelible Ink
Applied to voters left fore-finger before
permitting him/her to vote
Used to control fake voting
Dries up in 60 seconds and remains for a
few months
Cannot be removed by chemicals, detergents
or oil
Proxy Voting
Option to vote through proxy or through
postal ballot is available to service voters
belonging to the Armed Forces or to members
belonging to a force to which the Army Act
applies
Postal Ballot
Certain sections of voters entitled to
vote by post
Includes those on election duty,
service voters & certain others
INTERESTING FACTS OF GENERAL ELECTIONS 2009
Highest Polling station: Auleyphu in Leh (15,300 m)
Maximum number of votes polled by a candidate: 8,32,224
Minimum number of votes polled by a candidate: 118
Maximum number of candidates in a constituency: 43
Minimum number of candidates in a constituency: 3
Maximum voter turnout in a constituency: 90.32%
Minimum voter turnout in a constituency: 25.55%
Largest constituency (by area): Ladakh (J&K) 1,73,266.37 sq. km
Smallest constituency (by area):Chandni Chowk (Delhi) - 10.59 sq. km
Largest constituency (by size of electorate): Outer Delhi (NCT of Delhi) -
31,03,525 electors
Smallest constituency (by size of electorate):Lakshadweep - 37,619
electors
A polling station was set up in Junagadh district in Gir Forests of Gujarat
for just one elector.
2009 ELECTIONS
8,070 Candidates
363 Registered Political Parties
10 Million Personnel on poll duty (including
police personnel)
834,919 Polling Stations
717 Million Registered Electors
2,046 Observers
1,39,284 Micro Observers
46,90,575 Polling Staff
EVMs: 9,08,643 control units
11,83,543 ballot units
74,729 Videographers
40,599 Digital Cameras
Election Expenditure by Central Government
- 8,466 million rupees
1080 Counting Centres
Five Phases
Spread over one month
WORLDS LARGEST DEMOCRATIC EXERCISE
* Source : Election Commission of India
WHATS NEW
PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
*******
General Elections 2014
New Delhi: 14th March, 2014
RM