Election is a contest among candidates in order to seek the membership of a legislative body or a representative institution to again a public position. Elections to the legislature and local government bodies are held periodically. The whole country or the entire state or the area of the concerned local body is divided into a number of constituencies. Each constituency elects one representative from a number of candidates who contest elections. The candidate who gets the longest number of votes as against the other candidates in the constituency is declared elected.

Election provides opportunities to the people to participate actively in the functioning of the democratic government. These enable the people to express their will. Elections widen the scope of political awakening among the masses and educate them by familiarizing them with issues of public concern. It facilitates peaceful transfer of power from one political party or one group of political parties to another and legitimizes the working of the government by justifying the authority of representatives to lead people. 

Types of Elections:

1. (a) Direct Election: Under this people vote directly through their ballot to elect their representatives to legislative bodies like Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies and the local government institutions.

(b) Indirect Elections: Under this the elected representative of the people vote for electing persons to occupy certain positions. The President, Vice President of India and the members of the Rajya Sabha are elected indirectly.

2. (a) General Elections: The general elections are held all over the country, for the Lok Sabha or in all over the state for the State Legislative Assemblies. Such elections are held after the expiry of the full term of the legislature.

(b) Midterm Elections: If the elections are held before the completion of the normal term of the legislature owing to the dissolution of legislative bodies, these are called mid-term elections.

(c) Bye-Elections: Bye-Elections are held in a particular constituency owing to a vacancy caused by resignation or death of the elected member or when the election of a particular member is set aside by the judiciary. In such elections, the member is elected for the remaining period of term of the legislature.