At a glance
- Set up in July 1994 under Article 243K, after the 73rd and 74th Amendments, as a single-member commission headed by the State Election Commissioner.
- Not its work: elections to Parliament and the State Legislature are vested in the Election Commission of India (Article 324(1)).
- Removal: only in the manner and on the grounds of a High Court Judge, not at the Governor's pleasure (Article 243K(2) proviso).
Facts
| Law | Article 243K (panchayats), Article 243ZA (municipalities) |
|---|---|
| Appointed by | The Governor (Article 243K(1)) |
| Service conditions and tenure | As the Governor determines by rule, subject to State law (243K(2)); not varied to his disadvantage after appointment |
| Work | Superintendence, direction and control of the electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, elections to panchayats and municipalities |
Elections it has held
- Panchayati Raj: the 6th to 10th general elections in 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015, and the 11th in 21 districts in September-October 2020.
- Municipal bodies: general elections to 45 bodies in 1994 and to 137 bodies in 1995; elections to 91 bodies in January-February 2021.
- 2026: general elections to municipal bodies, and to the panchayati raj institutions in phases from October 2026.
State Election Commissioners
| Commissioner | Term |
|---|---|
| Amar Singh Rathore (first) | 1 July 1994 to 30 March 2000 |
| N.R. Bhasin | 1 July 2000 to 10 August 2002 |
| Inderjit Khanna | 26 December 2002 to 26 December 2007 |
| A.K. Pandey | 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2013 |
| Ram Lubhaya | 1 October 2013 to 2 April 2017 |
| Prem Singh Mehra | 3 July 2017 to 3 July 2022 |
| Madhukar Gupta | 14 August 2022 to 16 September 2025 |
| Rajeshwar Singh | From 19 September 2025 (Commissioner as of 23 October 2026) |
Remember: often mixed up
- Before the Commissionthe first panchayat election (1960) was held by the Panchayat Department and the 2nd to 5th (1965, 1978, 1981, 1988) by the Election Department.
- Membersthe State Election Commission is one person · the Election Commission of India is the Chief Election Commissioner and as many Election Commissioners as the President fixes (Article 324(2)).
Test yourself: asked in exams
RAS Prelims 2023 · Q35
Consider the following statements regarding State Election Commission, Rajasthan : (i) It was constituted in July, 1994 under Article 243 K of the Constitution of India. (ii) It is a single member commission headed by the State Election Commissioner.
- (1)Neither (i) nor (ii) is correct.
- (2)Both (i) and (ii) are correct.
- (3)Only (ii) is correct.
- (4)Only (i) is correct.
Show answer
✓ (2) Both (i) and (ii) are correct.
See the full paperProtection Officer 2024 · Q47
Consider the following statements regarding the Constitution of India - (I) Under the Article 324(1), the conduct of all elections to the Legislature of every State shall be vested in State Election Commission. (II) Under the Article 243-K, the conduct of all elections to the Panchayats shall be vested in a State Election Commission. (III) Under the Article 243-ZA, the conduct of all elections to the Municipalities shall be vested in the State Election Commission. Choose the correct option -
- (1)Only (II) and (III) are correct.
- (2)(I), (II) and (III) all are correct.
- (3)Only (I) and (III) are correct.
- (4)Only (I) and (II) are correct.
Show answer
✓ (1) Only (II) and (III) are correct.
See the full paperCET Graduation Level 2024 · Q124
Who was the State Election Commissioner of Rajasthan during 2023?
- (1)N.R. Bhasin
- (2)Inderjit Khanna
- (3)Madukar Gupta
- (4)Amar Singh Rathor
Show answer
✓ (3) Madukar Gupta
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