Elections in India are the constitutional process through which citizens of the Republic of India choose representatives to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and various local bodies. India operates the largest democratic exercise in the world by electorate size, conducted under a parliamentary system of government modelled on the Westminster framework. Elections are held at multiple levels: the Lok Sabha (House of the People), the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), the Vidhan Sabha (State Legislative Assemblies), the Vidhan Parishad (State Legislative Councils, where they exist), the office of the President and Vice-President, and local self-government institutions such as Panchayati Raj bodies and Municipal Corporations.
| Country | Republic of India |
|---|---|
| System of government | Parliamentary democracy, federal |
| Conducting authority | Election Commission of India (ECI) |
| Local body elections conducted by | State Election Commissions |
| Voting age | 18 years |
| Electoral system (Lok Sabha & Assemblies) | First-past-the-post (FPTP) in single-member constituencies |
| Electoral system (Rajya Sabha & Council seats) | Single transferable vote (proportional representation) |
| Presidential election | Indirect, by electoral college using single transferable vote |
| Constitutional basis | Articles 324–329 of the Constitution of India |
| Principal legislation | Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 |
Part XV of the Constitution of India (Articles 324 to 329) deals with elections. Article 324 vests the superintendence, direction and control of elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President in the Election Commission of India. The detailed conduct of elections is governed by the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which deals with the preparation of electoral rolls, and the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which covers the actual conduct of elections, qualifications and disqualifications of candidates, and corrupt practices.
The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 by the Constitution (Sixty-first Amendment) Act, 1988. Local body elections are administered by separate State Election Commissions, established under the Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992 and the Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Act, 1992, which constitutionally recognised Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies.
The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority headquartered in New Delhi. It is currently a multi-member body comprising the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. The Commission prepares electoral rolls, recognises political parties, allots election symbols, supervises the model code of conduct, and administers polling and counting operations.
Members of the Lok Sabha are directly elected from territorial constituencies across the States and Union Territories using the first-past-the-post system. The normal term of the Lok Sabha is five years unless dissolved earlier.
Each State and certain Union Territories with legislatures elect a Vidhan Sabha through direct elections in single-member constituencies. The term is generally five years.
Members of the Rajya Sabha are indirectly elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies through the single transferable vote system of proportional representation. A small number of members are nominated by the President for contributions in fields such as literature, science, art and social service.
The President of India is elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States and certain Union Territories, using the single transferable vote. The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament.
Elections to Panchayati Raj institutions (gram panchayats, panchayat samitis, zila parishads) and urban local bodies (municipal corporations, municipal councils, nagar panchayats) are conducted by the respective State Election Commissions.
The Constitution provides for reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Reservation is also provided in Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies, including for women in seats and the office of chairperson, under the Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth Amendments.
Political parties are registered with the Election Commission of India under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Commission classifies parties as National Parties, State Parties, or Registered Unrecognised Parties, based on criteria related to vote share and seats won. Each recognised party is allotted a reserved election symbol under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Elections in India are central to the country's democratic identity. The scale, diversity of the electorate, and logistical complexity—covering varied geography from Himalayan villages to remote islands—make the conduct of free and fair polls a defining feature of the Indian state. The peaceful transfer of power across multiple general elections since 1951–52 is widely regarded as a hallmark of India's constitutional democracy.