Eduqo
Indian Polity & Constitution›Ch 8: Constitutional & Other Bodies›Election Commission & Anti-Defection
Master Article 324, CEC Removal, MCC & Tenth Schedule for Competitive Exams
Article 324 vests superintendence, direction, and control of elections in the Election Commission. The Tenth Schedule curbs political defections to ensure stability.
Memory Hooks
| Feature | Constitutional Provision | Key Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Elections | Article 324 | Election Commission |
| Defection | Tenth Schedule | Presiding Officer |
| Parties | Article 324(6) | President / Governor |
Article 324
(Superintendence of Polls)
Superintendence of Polls
Controls national and state elections.
CEC Removal
(Judge Level Impeachment)
Judge Level Impeachment
Removed like a Supreme Court judge.
Model Code
(Guidelines for Parties)
Guidelines for Parties
Enforced from poll announcement date.
Tenth Schedule
(Anti-Defection Law)
Anti-Defection Law
Prevents opportunistic political switching.
CEC can be removed by President aloneRemoved like SC judge via Parliament
CEC has constitutional security of tenure and cannot be fired on presidential whim.
Model Code of Conduct is statutoryMCC is non-statutory guideline
MCC relies on moral consensus and party cooperation, not penal acts.
Speaker decision on defection is finalSpeaker decision is subject to judicial review
Supreme Court ruled that Speaker's order under Tenth Schedule can be judicially reviewed.
Q1.Which constitutional article deals with superintendence, direction, and control of elections in India?
Q2.Under which schedule of the Constitution is the Anti-Defection Law contained?