Home › PYQs › Polity › All questions › 2017 · Election Commission
UPSC Prelims 2017 · Polity · Elections, Parties & Anti-defection
Consider the following statements:
- The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
- Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.
- Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 3 only
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (d) 3 only
Only the party-dispute power under the Symbols Order is correct.
Statement by statement
1. ✗ WRONG It has been a three-member body since 1993: a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.
2. ✗ WRONG The ECI decides the schedule of general and bye-elections under Art. 324.
3. ✓ CORRECT Under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, the ECI decides disputes between rival groups of a recognised party.
The idea
Art. 324 does not fix the number of Commissioners; the President does. The ECI was single-member until 1989, briefly three in 1989–90, and multi-member since 1993. The CEC and Other ECs (Appointment…) Act, 2023 now sets the selection: PM, Leader of the Opposition, and a Union Minister.
Why the others are wrong
(a) Keeps both false statements.
(b) The Home Ministry has no role in scheduling elections.
(c) Statement 2 is false.
The trap
“Five-member” copies the size of other commissions. The ECI has three.
🔒 ECI = CEC + 2 ECs (since 1993) · sets poll dates · decides party splits (Symbols Order 1968) · Art. 324.
Solve this chapter interactively →All Polity questions