How Indian Elections Work
India holds what are routinely described as the world's largest democratic elections. The 2024 Lok Sabha election — to elect 543 members to the lower house of Parliament — registered 968 million eligible voters, of whom 642 million actually voted across seven phases between April 19 and June 1: a 44-day process involving 15 million election workers and security personnel, approximately one million polling stations, and 5.5 million Electronic Voting Machines. The election is conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), a constitutional body established under Article 324, which has superintendence, direction, and control over all elections to Parliament, state legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President. The State Election Commission — a separate body — conducts elections to local bodies. Representational Image: How Indian Elections Work The system India uses is First Past the Post (FPTP) — the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins, regardl...