Concept:A free and fair election requires an impartial body that no one can influence.
Explanation:A commission that manipulates results cannot hold a fair election, so option A is wrong.
Rejecting criticisms means it is not open to correction, so option B is also wrong.
If the commission is headed by a minister in the executive, it may be controlled by the government, making option C incorrect.
Therefore, the Electoral Commission must be independent of other institutions of government.
This independence helps it register voters, supervise voting, and announce results without fear or favour.
It also allows the commission to act impartially and protect the integrity of the electoral process.
Answer:D. independent of other institutions of government.