UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — EC launches helpline, email to report issues

Q1. For reporting law-and-order complaints during the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India launched how many dedicated citizen-reporting channels that route complaints directly to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer?

  • A. Two (a toll-free helpline and an email ID)
  • B. One (a toll-free helpline only)
  • C. Three (a helpline, an email ID and a WhatsApp number)
  • D. Four (a helpline, an email, a WhatsApp number and an SMS code)

Q2. Complaints lodged through the ECI's West Bengal law-and-order helpline (1800-345-0008) and its dedicated email are routed directly to which office?

  • A. Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal
  • B. Office of the Director General of Police, West Bengal
  • C. State Home Department, West Bengal
  • D. Office of the concerned District Magistrate

Q3. During the 2024 General Elections, the single largest category of violations reported through the cVIGIL app pertained to which of the following?

  • A. Illegal hoardings and banners
  • B. Distribution of money, gifts and liquor
  • C. Defacement of property
  • D. Campaigning beyond the prohibited period

Q4. Under the cVIGIL system, a vigilant citizen who reports a Model Code of Conduct violation is to be informed of the action-status of the complaint within how many minutes?

  • A. 100 minutes
  • B. 60 minutes
  • C. 90 minutes
  • D. 120 minutes

Q5. The ECI's nationwide helpline dedicated to voter-registration, EPIC and electoral-roll queries (distinct from state-specific law-and-order helplines) is accessed by dialling which toll-free number?

  • A. 1950
  • B. 1800-345-0008
  • C. 1077
  • D. 112

Q6. Among the ECI's citizen-facing tools, which one is specifically designed for reporting Model Code of Conduct violations, as distinct from voter-registration queries or law-and-order grievances?

  • A. The cVIGIL app
  • B. The Voter Helpline App
  • C. The West Bengal 'free and fair polls' helpline (1800-345-0008)
  • D. The National Grievance Redressal System for EPIC corrections

Q7. Which one of the following most accurately describes the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of a State?

  • A. An officer of the State Government designated/nominated by the ECI, in consultation with the State Government, to supervise election work in the State subject to the ECI's superintendence
  • B. A Union Government officer directly appointed by the President to head the conduct of elections in a State
  • C. A constitutional functionary appointed by the Governor to conduct State Legislative Assembly elections
  • D. An IAS officer elected by the State Legislative Assembly to maintain and revise electoral rolls

Q8. The office of the Chief Electoral Officer of a State is provided for under which statutory provision?

  • A. Section 13A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • B. Section 20 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • C. Section 13CC of the Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • D. Article 324 of the Constitution

Q9. With reference to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), consider the following statements: 1. It was first introduced during the 1960 Kerala Assembly elections. 2. Its enforcement is derived primarily from the Election Commission's authority under Article 324 of the Constitution. 3. It is a statutory code enacted as a schedule to the Representation of the People Act, 1951. 4. In Union of India v. Harbans Singh Jalal, the Supreme Court linked the MCC's coming into force to the issue of the Commission's press release. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It was first introduced during the 1960 Kerala Assembly elections.
  2. Its enforcement is derived primarily from the Election Commission's authority under Article 324 of the Constitution.
  3. It is a statutory code enacted as a schedule to the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
  4. In Union of India v. Harbans Singh Jalal, the Supreme Court linked the MCC's coming into force to the issue of the Commission's press release.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 2 only

Q10. The eGovernance 'Award of Excellence' (for 2019) won by the Election Commission of India was conferred for how many of its in-house citizen applications?

  • A. Two
  • B. One
  • C. Three
  • D. Four

Q11. The large-scale post-poll violence frequently cited by the Election Commission as justification for enhanced Central Armed Police Force deployment in West Bengal occurred following which Legislative Assembly election?

  • A. 2021
  • B. 2016
  • C. 2019
  • D. 2011

Q12. The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of all elections to Parliament and State Legislatures is vested in the Election Commission under which Article of the Constitution?

  • A. Article 324
  • B. Article 326
  • C. Article 329
  • D. Article 243K