Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature
Quick Summary (TL;DR)
Article 328 (Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature): Protects free and fair democratic elections, common non-discriminatory voter rolls, and universal adult franchise under Part XV.
In Simple Citizen Words
Article 328 ('Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature') in Part XV (Elections) protects the democratic foundation of the Republic. It governs the independent Election Commission of India (Art 324), prohibits separate or discriminatory electoral rolls based on religion, race, caste, or sex (Art 325), guarantees universal adult suffrage at age 18+ (Art 326), empowers electoral legislation (Arts 327–328), and channels election disputes through formal election petitions (Art 329). Specifically: Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and in so far as provision in that behalf is not made by Parliament, the Legislature of a State may from time to time by law make provision with respect to all matters relating to, or in...
Key Constitutional Provisions
Constitutional Mandate (Art. 328): Directly codifies the legal rule for 'Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature' under Part XV
Sets a direct, self-contained constitutional command binding on public authorities across India
Requires transparent Parliamentary law-making and democratic accountability rather than arbitrary executive action
Exceptions & Reasonable Restrictions
Free and fair elections form part of the Basic Structure of the Constitution (Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain, 1975 & PUCL v. Union of India, 2013).
Why This Matters in Daily Life
Guarantees that every citizen's vote carries equal constitutional weight ('One Person, One Vote, One Value') regardless of wealth, caste, gender, or religion.
Want deeper legal & historical context? Explore the official Bare Act or Supreme Court Precedents & CAD Debates: