Introduction

Have you ever noticed that a game only works if everyone agrees on the rules and on an umpire before the game begins? Elections are exactly like that. A country has to decide, in advance and outside the reach of any one government, two things: what method will be used to turn votes into winners, and who will conduct the process impartially. Because these decisions have to be settled before the contest for power starts, they cannot be left to whichever party happens to be in office at the time — so a democratic constitution writes them down in advance.

This chapter looks at how the Indian Constitution answers both questions: the method of election it chose (and the alternatives it did not choose), the special protection it built in for disadvantaged groups through reserved constituencies, and the independent Election Commission it created to keep the process free and fair. It closes with a look at where the system still falls short and what reforms are being debated.