About the Election Commission of India (ECI) 

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for conducting Union and State elections in India. 
• Established on January 25, 1950, under the Constitution of India, this date is now observed as National Voters' Day. 
• The ECI oversees elections for the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the offices of the President and Vice President. 
• Elections for panchayats and municipalities are managed separately by the State Election Commission as per constitutional provisions. 

Constitutional Provisions Related to ECI 

• Part XV (Articles 324-329) of the Indian Constitution deals with elections and the establishment of the Election Commission. 
• Article 324: Grants ECI the power to supervise, direct, and control elections in India. 
• Article 325: Prohibits exclusion from electoral rolls based on religion, race, caste, or sex. 
• Article 326: Ensures elections are based on adult suffrage (universal voting rights for adults). 
• Article 327: Grants Parliament the power to regulate elections to legislatures. 
• Article 328: Empowers State Legislatures to make provisions for state-level elections. 
• Article 329: Bars courts from interfering in electoral matters. 

Structure of the Election Commission 

• Initially, ECI was a single-member body, but after the Election Commissioner Amendment Act, 1989, it became a multi-member body. 
• The commission consists of:  
  • Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) 
  • Two Election Commissioners (ECs) (appointed as per requirement) 
• The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) assists at the state level. 

Appointment & Tenure of Commissioners 

• The President of India appoints the CEC and ECs based on the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023. 
• They hold office for six years or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier. 
• Their salary and service conditions are equivalent to that of a Supreme Court judge. 

Removal Process 

• Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) can only be removed through a process similar to the removal of a Supreme Court judge, requiring Parliamentary approval. 
• Election Commissioners (ECs) can be removed only on the recommendation of the CEC. 

Limitations of the ECI 

• The Constitution does not specify qualifications (legal, educational, administrative, or judicial) for Election Commission members. 
• It does not define a fixed tenure for ECI members. 
• Retiring election commissioners are not barred from future government appointments.