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Introduction: – election commission is an autonomous body. it was established in January 25, 1950 until October 1989,it had only on chief election commissioner and two other election commissioner. it is a permanent constitutional body. For the success of democracy it is indispensable. It is often called the fourth pillars of Indian democracy

FUNCTION OF THE COMMISION: – the election commission conducts election to the parliament, state legislature and to the offices of the president and the vice president of India. Besides it has a lot of other function. Some of them are as follows:

i) Demarcation of parliamentary and assembly constitutions

ii) Recognition political parties and allotment of symbols.

iii) Preparation of electoral roll

iv) Scrutiny of nomination papers of the contesting candidates

v) Scrutiny of election expenses of the contesting candidates

vi) Deciding model code of conduct for contesting candidates and political parties.

Vii) Deciding election schedules for conduct of election.

Viii) Disqualifies candidates stopping or canceling election in a particular polling both or station on the basic of allegations

There are many such actions that the election commission has to perform to insure free & fair election. it has to work in accordance with the representation of the people act-1950 and the representation of people act-1951.the former deals with the preparation and revision of electoral rolls and the latter deals in details with all aspects of conduct of elections and post election disputes

Election machineries functioning at different levels:-in New Delhi there is the separate secretarial of the election commission. It has about 300 officials. It has different units to deal with the election and affairs of different zones. At the state level there is a chief electoral officer. He supervises the election work under the supervision, direction and control of the election commission. In new Delhi besides, at the district and constituency levels there are district electoral officers(DM’s),electoral registration officers(SDM’s)& returning officers(DM’s,SDM’s,BDO’s).these officers are assisted by a large number of functionaries employed by the commission of deputation.

Free and fair election:-It is the duty of the election commission to ensure free & fair

Election. The meaning of democracy becomes futile when the common people cannot exercise their franchising power freely and spontaneously. So, the constitution of India has instituted this commission.

Political criminalization & vandalism:-India is still backward in respect of the spread of education and political consciousness among people. a vast portion of the population is still now ignorant and illiterate. So, the politics in the country is not free from malice’s .to speak the truth, political vandalism has now raised a challenge to the free& fair election in the country.

The rule of election commission:-the election commission of India also has taken up now initiatives to face the challenges & trends to democracy. it has introduced a lot of new measures to curb vandalism & ensure fair election. Some of them are as follows:

i) Introduction of electoral photo identity card. (EPIC)

ii) Introduction electronic voting machines, video-graphs etc.

iii) Imposition of laws to restrict rampant use of money.

Iv) Mobilization of election staff such as presiding officers, guards, policemen etc ,from near by states.

v) Engagement of observers and many other steps the commissions deems to be appropriate.

Conclusion;-it is true that the election commission if India works independently and adopts measures as far as practicable to ensure free & fair election. it has achieved a lot of success also as in the last Bihar assembly election. election commission of India is applauded by the prime minister of India in his inaugural address during the diamond jubilee celebration of the ECI in jan25, 2010 in his own words,” there improvements have contributed not only to the speedy conduct of election but also to enhancing the transparency & credibility of the whole electoral process” but the independence and neutralist of the commission in often questioned. It is the central government that gives appointment to the chief election commissioner. The president of India appoints the commissioner as per the choice and recommendation of the prime minister. This very process of the appointment of the commissioner is a proof to the allegation that the chief election commissioner may have some witness towards his appointer. This is why we could not feel the existence of the election commission of India till the tenure of T.N Seshan into brought about a sea-change.