The correct option is 1 and 2 only.
Explanation
Under Article 324 of the Constitution, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is vested with the power of superintendence, direction, and control of elections. This includes the inherent power to schedule and reschedule elections to ensure they are conducted in a free and fair manner.
Statement 1 is Correct:
The Election Commission has the authority to postpone elections in a specific constituency or an entire State if it assesses that the atmosphere is vitiated due to violence, natural calamities, or other disturbances that compromise the sanctity of the electoral process.
Statement 2 is Correct:
This power was notably exercised in 2002 regarding the Gujarat Assembly elections. Following the communal riots in the state, the Election Commission decided to postpone the elections, stating that the conditions were not conducive to holding free and fair polls at that time.
Statement 3 is Incorrect:
The Supreme Court, in Special Reference No. 1 of 2002, did not rule against the Election Commission's decision. Instead, the Court upheld the Commission's discretion. It ruled that while Article 174 mandates that six months should not intervene between two sessions of the legislature, this provision applies to an existing assembly. The Court held that the ECI's duty to ensure free and fair elections under Article 324 is paramount, and elections can be deferred if the ground situation (such as a breakdown of law and order) makes it impossible to hold them freely.
Key Takeaway:
The Election Commission's mandate under Article 324 to conduct free and fair elections includes the discretion to postpone polls if the ground reality is unfavorable. This power takes precedence over timeline mandates if a free election is not feasible.