The document discusses different types of elections in India: 1) It explains the differences between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, as well as legislative assemblies and councils. 2) It provides details on the structure, powers, and functions of the Election Commission of India, which oversees all elections. 3) General elections are held every 5 years to elect members of parliament, while mid-term elections can occur if a government loses a vote of confidence before its term ends.

1. 1. Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha- Discussed in great details in the class so
many times. Difference between lok sabha and rajya sabha in terms of
total number of seats, election of members of both the houses, powers
and functions of both the houses. Lok sabha having special powers in
terms of Money Bill. Important persons in both the houses of the
parliament.
2. Legislative assembly and Legislative Council- Again discussed in great
details in the class. Difference between assembly and council, number of
states having legislative council. Election of members of legislative
assembly and council, powers and their important functions in terms of
passing the bill.
3. Election Commission of India- The Election Commission of India is
an autonomous, quasi-judiciary constitutional body of India. Its mission
is to conduct free and fair elections in India. It was established on 25
January 1950 under Article 324 of the Constitution of India.
Structure
The commission presently consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and
two Election Commissioners, appointed by the president.
Until October 1989, there was just one Chief Election Commissioner. In
1989, two Election Commissioners were appointed, but were removed again
in January 1990. In 1991, however, the Parliament of India passed a law
providing for the appointment of two Election Commissioners. This law was
amended and renamed in 1993 as the Chief Election Commissioner and
other Election Commissioners (Conditions of Service) Amendment Act 1993.
As of Thursday, 7 April 2011, the CEC is Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi.
The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from his office by
Parliament with two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the
ground of proved misbehavior or incapacity. The Election Commission shall
consist of a Chief Election Commissioner and such other Commissioners as
the President may, from time to time, fix. Other Election Commissioner can
be removed by the President on the recommendation of the Chief Election
Commissioner. Salary of chief election commissioner is same as justice of
Supreme Court of India. All three commissioners have same right of taking
a decision. Tenure of commissioners is 6 years or up to age of 65, whichever

2. is earlier. The Election Commission of India has completed more than 300
elections.
The Election Commission shall have the power of superintendence, direction
and control of all elections to parliament and the state legislatures and of
elections to the office of the President and Vice-President.
Powers and duties
The Election Commission enjoys complete autonomy and is insulated from any
kind of executive interference. The body also functions as a quasi-judiciary
body in matters of electoral disputes and other matters involving the conduct of
elections. Its recommendations and opinions are binding on the President of
India. However, the decisions of the body are liable for independent judiciary
reviews by courts acting on electoral petitions.
The Election Commission is responsible for planning and executing a whole
amount of complex operations that go into the conduct of elections. During the
elections, the entire Central (Federal) and State government machinery
including para-military forces and the Police is deemed to be on deputation to
the Election Commission which takes effective control of personnel, movable
and immovable Government Properties it deems necessary for successful
completion of the electoral process. The Apart from conducting elections to
representative bodies, the Election Commission has been on many occasions,
called upon by the Courts to oversee and execute elections to various governing
bodies of other autonomous organisations, such as Syndicates of Universities,
statutory professional bodies, etc.
The following are the principle functions of the Election Commission of India:
1. Demarcation of Constituencies.
2. Preparation of Electoral Rolls.
3. Recognition of Political parties and allotment of symbols.
4. Scrutiny of nomination papers.
5. Conduct of polls.
6. Scrutiny of election expenses of candidates.

3. General Elections & Midterm Elections
General Elections- In a parliamentary political system, a general
election is an election in which all or most members of a given political
body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a
nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-
elections and local elections.
General elections in India are the largest exercise of democracy in the
World. In 2004, Indian elections covered an electorate larger than 670
million people—over twice that of the next largest, the European
Parliament elections—and declared expenditure has trebled since 1989
to almost $300 million, using more than 1 million electronic voting
machines. The Election Commission of India coordinates the elections,
which owing to the huge size of the electorate is conducted in a phased
manner. In General Elections, the candidates are elected for the Lok
Sabha and they are called MP's (Member of Parliament). They are held
every 5 years.
Midterm Elections-
Mid term elections are the elections which are held before the completion
of the term of the govt. of five years due to some problems. When the
central govt. fails to prove majority in the lok sabha during vote of
confidence, the election held for the new govt. will be termed as mid term
elections. It may be of state govt .or of the central govt. for eg. If
Manmohan Singh the prime minister of India had failed to prove
majority during vote of confidence on nuclear deal the election would
have been held (mid term elections) before the completion of his term.
The PM and his council of ministers had to resign.