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.