Elections, Political Parties and Electoral Reforms
UPMSP tests the Election Commission's powers, party recognition rules, the anti-defection law and the main constitutional amendments that changed elections.
The machinery
The Election Commission (Art. 324) is a multi-member body; the Chief Election Commissioner can be removed only in the manner of a Supreme Court judge. India uses first-past-the-post in single-member constituencies. The 61st Amendment (1988) lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The Model Code of Conduct, candidate deposits and symbol allotment are administered by the Commission.
Political parties
Parties register with the Election Commission under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. 'National' and 'State' party status brings a reserved symbol and is decided on vote share plus seats in the State concerned; national status requires such standing in several States. Anti-defection is governed by the Tenth Schedule (52nd Amendment, 1985). The 91st Amendment (2003) deleted the 'split' defence: now only a merger supported by at least two-thirds of a legislature party escapes disqualification.
Reform milestones
52nd (anti-defection), 61st (voting age), 73rd and 74th (local bodies), 91st (merger rule and cap on the Council of Ministers), plus Supreme Court rulings requiring candidates to disclose criminal cases (2003) and introducing NOTA (2013).
Worked example
Twelve MLAs of a party with 40 members leave to form a separate group. Reasoning: the Tenth Schedule, as amended by the 91st Amendment, no longer protects a split; only a merger backed by at least two-thirds (27 members here) escapes disqualification. Twelve is below the threshold, so all twelve are disqualified.
Traps
The Election Commission does not conduct panchayat elections - the State Election Commission does (Art. 243K). NOTA does not cancel an election. Registration of a party is not the same as recognition as a State or national party.