A malpractice in which a political party or candidate fraudulently increases its votes, for example by stuffing ballot boxes or false voting, is called:

Rigging means fraud and malpractice in an election by a party or candidate to increase its votes, such as stuffing ballot boxes, impersonating voters, multiple voting or tampering with the counting.

Common forms of rigging:

• Booth capturing: taking control of a polling station by force and casting votes.
• Impersonation: voting in the name of another person, including dead or absent voters.
• Bogus voting: casting votes using fake names on the electoral roll.
• Intimidation of voters to prevent them from voting freely.
• Tampering with ballot boxes or counting.
• Distributing money, liquor or gifts to buy votes.

Legal provisions against rigging:

• The Representation of the People Act, 1951 lists "corrupt practices", such as bribery, undue influence and booth capturing.
• Booth capturing was made an electoral offence by an amendment in 1989.
• A candidate found guilty of corrupt practices can have his election set aside and can be disqualified.

Measures by the Election Commission:

• Electronic Voting Machines reduce the scope for bogus votes and ballot box stuffing.
• Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) allows voters to verify their votes.
• Indelible ink is applied to the finger of a voter to prevent multiple voting.
• Webcasting and video recording at sensitive polling stations.
• Deployment of central forces and micro-observers.
• Repoll is ordered where rigging is proved.

Other election-related terms:

• Gerrymandering: drawing constituency boundaries to favour a particular party.
• Lobbying: trying to influence lawmakers on behalf of an interest group.
• Filibustering: making long speeches to delay or block a decision in a legislature.

Free and fair elections:

Free and fair elections are part of the basic structure of the Constitution, as held by the Supreme Court.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Gerrymandering, lobbying and filibustering are other political terms, not vote fraud.