What is meant by separate (communal)electorates?

What is meant by separate (communal)electorates?

In separate electorates, the representatives of only a particular community contests the elections. In such elections only the members of that particular community participates.

For example, In Separate electorate system, the seats in a constituency are reserved for a particular community ‘A’. The voters are from community ‘A’ only. The candidates are from community ‘A’ only. The winners are from community ‘A’ only. Other communities don’t participate at all in elections in that particular constituency.

During the British rule, separate or communal electorates were granted to the Muslims, Sikhs and the Anglo Indians.