Election Commission Committees on Electoral Reforms
Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Key Government Committees and Commissions · Topic 17.4
Electoral reform in India has been shaped by a series of committees and by proposals of the Election Commission of India, a constitutional body under Article 324 that supervises elections to Parliament, state legislatures and the offices of President and Vice President. Key committees include the Tarkunde Committee (1974-75), the Dinesh Goswami Committee (1990), the Vohra Committee (1993) and the Indrajit Gupta Committee on state funding (1998). Reforms that followed include the Anti-Defection Law of 1985, EVMs, the NOTA option in 2013, Aadhaar-EPIC linking in 2021 and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls from 2025.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Key Government Committees and Commissions
At a Glance
- Constitutional basis Article 324
- Landmark committees Tarkunde, Goswami, Vohra, Indrajit Gupta
- Reform examples NOTA, EVM-VVPAT, Aadhaar-EPIC link
- Roll revision SIR from 2025
- CEC law Act of 2023
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Key Government Committees and Commissions
Where Does It Fit?
This topic sits between the Law Commission and the one nation one election committee. All three deal with the design of the electoral system, so read them together for GS Paper 2. Previous topic: Law Commission of India Reports. Next topic: Committees on One Nation One Election.
Which Committees Shaped Electoral Reform?
| Committee or body | Key recommendations |
|---|---|
| Tarkunde Committee (1974-75) | Set up by Jayaprakash Narayan, it suggested a non-partisan Election Commission with multi-member appointment, and reform of the voting age, and curbs on money power |
| Dinesh Goswami Committee (1990) | Recommended a multi-member Election Commission, disqualification of candidates against whom charges are framed for serious offences, restriction on the number of seats a candidate can contest, and a change in the anti-defection process, with the Speaker decision subject to review |
| Vohra Committee (1993) | Studied the nexus of crime, politicians and bureaucrats and recommended a nodal agency to collect information |
| Indrajit Gupta Committee (1998) | Supported partial state funding of elections for recognised parties and recommended it be given in kind |
| Law Commission reports | The 170th (1999) and 255th (2015) reports covered decriminalisation, party finance and the system of voting |
| National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2002) | Under M.N. Venkatachaliah, it suggested a rise in the deposit, a limit on the size of the council of ministers and changes in the anti-defection rules |
Which Reforms Have Come Into Force?
- Voting age: Lowered from 21 to 18 by the 61st Amendment in 1988
- Anti-Defection Law: The 52nd Amendment added the Tenth Schedule in 1985, and the 91st Amendment of 2003 removed the one-third split exemption
- EVM and VVPAT: Electronic voting machines came into wide use from 1998-2004. The Supreme Court ordered paper trail units, and VVPAT became universal for Lok Sabha polls from 2019
- Disclosure of candidates: The Supreme Court in 2002 and 2003 made disclosure of criminal cases, assets and education mandatory for candidates
- NOTA: The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to provide None of the Above on the ballot in 2013, in PUCL versus Union of India
- Disqualification: Lily Thomas versus Union of India in 2013 held that a legislator convicted and sentenced to two years or more is disqualified at once
- Aadhaar link: The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 allowed linking the electoral roll with Aadhaar on a voluntary basis, and created four qualifying dates in a year for new voters
- CEC appointment law: After the Anoop Baranwal judgment of 2023, Parliament passed the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, with a selection committee of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and a Union Cabinet Minister
What Else Should You Remember?
- Election Commission: The Commission has been multi-member since 1993, with a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners who have equal powers
- Special Intensive Revision: The Commission began a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar in 2025, and, as reported, extended it to other states in phases during 2025-26. Several petitions have challenged its scope in the Supreme Court, so readers should check the latest orders
- Remote voting: The Commission demonstrated a Remote Voting Machine prototype for domestic migrants in January 2023, but political parties did not reach a consensus
- ECINET: A digital platform launched by the Commission in 2025 to bring its apps and services together
- Model Code of Conduct: The Code is a set of guidelines agreed by parties and is not a statute, though the Commission enforces it
- Electoral bonds: The Supreme Court struck down the electoral bonds scheme in February 2024 as unconstitutional
- State funding: The Indrajit Gupta Committee supported it, but India does not have full state funding of elections
- Representation of the People Acts: The Representation of the People Act, 1950 deals with roll preparation and the 1951 Act with conduct of elections, qualifications and disputes
- Open issues: Criminalisation of politics, party finance, paid news, delimitation and simultaneous polls are still being debated, as in Committees on One Nation One Election
- Constitutional protection: The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed only in the way a Supreme Court judge is removed, but Election Commissioners have less direct protection, which reform proposals highlight
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Article 324: Superintendence, direction and control of elections lies with the Commission
- Committee matching: Committee with its key recommendation
- Judgments: NOTA, Lily Thomas, Anoop Baranwal
- Amendments: 61st for voting age, 52nd and 91st for defection
- Common errors: Mixing up Goswami and Vohra, or saying the Model Code is a law
As an analytical point, electoral reform works best when rules for money, crime and rolls are paired with strong, independent enforcement. Courts and committees have given a clear agenda, and what is often missing is the legislative will and a reliable timetable to act.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Committees One-line matching
- Judgments NOTA and disqualification
- Current affairs SIR and CEC law
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the committees on simultaneous elections. Next topic: Committees on One Nation One Election.
Key People and Terms
- EPIC Elector Photo Identity Card
- NOTA None of the Above
- VVPAT Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail
- Model Code of Conduct Guidelines during elections
- Electoral roll List of voters
- Qualifying date Date to reach 18 for enrolment
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Article 324: Election Commission.
- Goswami committee: 1990 reforms.
- NOTA: 2013, PUCL case.
- Lily Thomas: 2013, automatic disqualification.
- CEC law: 2023 Act.
Do Not Confuse With
- Goswami and Vohra Committees Electoral reform versus crime-politics nexus
- Tarkunde and Indrajit Gupta Early reform versus state funding
- Model Code and statutes Voluntary versus legal force
Memory Hook
Tarkunde sowed, Goswami proposed, Vohra exposed, Indrajit funded.
Mains Angle
Mains questions ask for measures to clean up elections. These points give a balanced frame.
- Money Disclosure and funding rules
- Crime Faster trials, disqualification
- Institution Independent Commission
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the major committees on electoral reform in India and examine the reforms still needed to make elections free and fair.”
How to Answer
- Past Tarkunde to Indrajit Gupta.
- Done NOTA, disclosure, EVM.
- Left Funding and crime.
- Way Law and enforcement.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Which committees recommended electoral reforms in India?
Major committees include the Tarkunde Committee in 1974-75, the Dinesh Goswami Committee in 1990, the Vohra Committee in 1993 and the Indrajit Gupta Committee on state funding in 1998. The Law Commission also made reports, such as the 170th and the 255th on electoral reform.
What did the Dinesh Goswami Committee recommend?
The Dinesh Goswami Committee of 1990 recommended a multi-member Election Commission, disqualification of candidates for serious offences when charges are framed, limits on the seats a person may contest, and changes to the anti-defection process. Several of these ideas were later taken up in law or by the courts.
What is NOTA and when was it introduced?
NOTA stands for None of the Above and lets a voter reject all candidates without spoiling the vote. The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to provide it on voting machines in September 2013 in PUCL versus Union of India. It does not lead to a fresh election if it gets the most votes.
What is the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision is a house-to-house verification of the electoral roll by the Election Commission. It began in Bihar in 2025 and, as reported, was extended to other states in phases. It has faced court challenges on documents and exclusion, so the latest orders should be checked.
How are the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners appointed now?
Under the 2023 Act, the President appoints them on the advice of a selection committee of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister. The law followed the Supreme Court Anoop Baranwal judgment, which had set a similar panel including the Chief Justice until Parliament legislated.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Election Commission of India derives its powers from Article 324.
It supervises elections.
2 NOTA was introduced on the direction of the Supreme Court in 2013.
In PUCL versus Union of India.
3 The Vohra Committee mainly recommended state funding of elections.
That was the Indrajit Gupta Committee. Vohra studied the crime-politics nexus.
4 The voting age was reduced to 18 by the 61st Amendment.
The change came in 1988.
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