Previous Year Question

Statement 1 is correct. Sukumar Sen was the first Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. He served from 21 March 1950 to 19 December 1958. During his tenure, the first two general elections to the Lok Sabha in independent India were conducted in 1951–52 and 1957. Conducting elections on such a large scale based on universal adult franchise was a significant achievement of Indian democracy.

Statement 2 is also correct. V. S. Ramadevi was the first woman Chief Election Commissioner of India. She served from 26 November 1990 to 11 December 1990. She was the ninth Chief Election Commissioner of India. Her tenure lasted approximately 16 days. She was succeeded by T. N. Seshan, who assumed office on 12 December 1990.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) was established on 25 January 1950. It is an independent constitutional institution established under Article 324 of the Constitution. It is responsible for the superintendence, direction, and control of elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President. To commemorate its establishment, National Voters' Day is observed annually on 25 January.

Initially, the Election Commission was a single-member body, consisting only of the Chief Election Commissioner. On 16 October 1989, two additional Election Commissioners were appointed for the first time, but this arrangement lasted only briefly. From 1 October 1993, the Commission began functioning permanently as a three-member body, comprising one Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.