Electoral Politics is a fundamental concept in Indian democracy, describing the overall process, strategies, and impact of selecting representatives through free and fair elections. Its roots trace back to the colonial era, where limited elections were introduced under the Indian Councils Act (1909) and the Government of India Act (1935), though voting rights were highly restricted. The problem solved after independence in 1947 was the establishment of a truly representative democracy, which was achieved by adopting universal adult suffrage.
The system is governed by Part XV of the Constitution, with Article 324 establishing the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 1950 to ensure the superintendence, direction, and control of elections. The first general elections were held in 1951–52. Article 326 guarantees the right to vote to every citizen above 18 years. India primarily uses the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system for elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. The mechanism is detailed in the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (dealing with electoral rolls) and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (dealing with the conduct of elections and disqualifications).
Electoral Politics connects to the Delimitation Commission (under the Delimitation Act, 2002) for redrawing constituency boundaries, and the principle of universal adult franchise. Recently, the system has seen significant changes: the Electoral Bonds scheme, introduced in 2018, was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in February 2024. Furthermore, the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act of 2023 replaced the Chief Justice of India with a Union Minister on the selection committee for election commissioners. The core structure of the ECI's authority under Article 324 and the use of the FPTP system remain the same.