Institutions & Bodies

Election Commission of India

The autonomous constitutional body administering elections to Parliament, state legislatures and the offices of President and Vice-President.

Verified references:Wikipedia

On UPSC.wiki

Current affairsElection Commission Announces Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls in 6 States and UTs: Draft Rolls on November 30, Final on January 21, 2027The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced a Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in six States and Union Territories — Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim. Draft rolls will be published on November 30, 2026, with the final electoral rolls published on January 21, 2027. The exercise focuses on enrolling young and first-time voters. Current affairsCensus 2026–27: Population Enumeration from January 25 to February 28, 2027 — India's First Fully Digital Census ExplainedThe Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India has announced that the Population Enumeration phase of Census 2026–27 will be conducted from January 25 to February 28, 2027, with March 1, 2027 as the reference date. India's first fully digital census — with self-enumeration through a mobile app and Aadhaar-linked verification — follows the House Listing and Housing Census phase that commenced on April 1, 2026. Current affairsInternational Day of Democracy 2026: Deliberative Democracy and the AI Governance ChallengeThe United Nations observes International Day of Democracy on September 15 each year. The 2026 theme is "Raising Hands and Voices — Fostering Agency and Ownership through Deliberative Democracy," highlighting participatory governance models as democratic institutions face challenges from disinformation, AI-driven political manipulation, and declining citizen trust globally. Current affairsSupreme Court on Black Money in Elections: Directions to Curb Unaccounted Cash, Expedite Probes, and Protect Democratic IntegrityThe Supreme Court of India, in State of Karnataka & Anr. v. Prathik Parasrampuria (2026 INSC 868, August 17, 2026), held that the use of black money in elections "compromises democracy's core" and issued binding directions: report cash seizures above ₹10 lakh within 24 hours, complete election-related investigations within one year, designate specialised courts for candidate-related cases, and require High Court approval before withdrawing prosecutions. Current affairsSupreme Court Directs Election Commission to Curb Electoral Black Money: Seizure Reporting, Time-Bound Investigation, and Compliance DeadlineThe Supreme Court of India, in a bench led by Justices Sanjay Karol and N.K. Singh, issued comprehensive directions on August 17, 2026 to curb the use of black money in elections — mandating 24-hour seizure reporting, one-year investigation timelines, and a compliance report from the Election Commission of India by November 18, 2026. Current affairsKerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026: Lok Sabha Passes Constitutional Rename to 'Keralam', Rajya Sabha Consideration UnderwayThe Lok Sabha passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, by voice vote on 11 August 2026, to officially rename the state from "Kerala" to "Keralam" — its authentic Malayalam name — by amending the First Schedule of the Constitution under Article 3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved the Bill in the Rajya Sabha on 12 August 2026 for consideration and passing.

In previous-year questions

Election Commission of India — Institutions & Bodies for UPSC | UPSC.wiki | UPSC.wiki