Answer: 

Introduction:

The Representation of the People Act, 1951, is a comprehensive legislation enacted to provide for the conduct of elections and adjudication of disputes arising from such elections in India. It deals with the election of members to both Parliament and State Legislatures.

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Body:

Procedures to decide disputes arising out of elections:

• Presentation of Election Petition: Any person who wishes to challenge the election of a returned candidate must file an election petition under Section 81 of the Act. The petition should be filed within 45 days from the date of election, and it must be presented to the High Court (for State Legislatures) or the Supreme Court (for Parliament).
• Trial of Election Petition: As per Section 86 of the Act, the trial of an election petition is conducted by a single judge, designated by the Chief Justice of the concerned court. The trial follows the procedures laid down in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
• Decision on Election Petition: The court will, after examining the evidence and hearing the parties, declare the election valid or invalid. If the court finds that the election was conducted improperly, it may either declare the election void or order a re-election, as per Section 98 and Section 99 of the Act.

Grounds on which the election of a returned candidate may be declared void:

• Corrupt Practices: If the returned candidate or their election agent is found guilty of indulging in corrupt practices, such as bribery, undue influence, or promoting enmity between different groups, the election can be declared void (Section 100(1)(b)).
• Improper Reception, Refusal or Rejection of Votes: If the court finds that there were irregularities in the reception, refusal, or rejection of votes, which affected the outcome of the election, it may declare the election void (Section 100(1)(d)(iii)).
• Non-compliance with the provisions of the Constitution or the Act: If the election was conducted in violation of the provisions of the Constitution or the Act, and the court believes that such non-compliance has materially affected the election’s result, it can declare the election void (Section 100(1)(d)(iv)).

Remedy available to the aggrieved party against the decision:

• An aggrieved party can file an appeal against the decision of the High Court or the Supreme Court, as per Section 116A of the Act. The appeal must be filed within 30 days from the date of the decision, and it must be heard by a bench of at least two judges.

Case Laws:

• Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975): This landmark case saw the election of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared void on the grounds of corrupt practices. However, the case also led to the 39th Amendment of the Constitution, which limited the judiciary’s power to scrutinize the election of the Prime Minister and Speaker.
• Manohar Joshi v. Nitin Bhaurao Patil (1996): In this case, the Supreme Court held that an election could be declared void only if the corrupt practices materially affected the election’s outcome, emphasizing the importance of the nexus between the corrupt practice and the election result.

Conclusion:

The Representation of the People Act, 1951, plays a vital role in upholding the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution of India, and it has been instrumental in ensuring that the electoral process remains a true reflection of the will of the people.

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