A quick revision cut of this chapter for the night before the exam: definitions, numbers, dates and comparison tables. The full notes are available separately for detailed reading.
1 FPTP versus PR, at a glance
| Basis | FPTP | PR |
|---|---|---|
| Vote for | Candidate | Party |
| Constituency | Small, one representative each | Large, or whole country, multiple representatives |
| Majority | Not required | Required |
| Examples | India, United Kingdom | Israel, Netherlands |
| Used in India for | Lok Sabha, Assemblies | President, Vice President, Rajya Sabha (STV) |
2 Numbers worth remembering
48%Congress’s vote share in 1984, yet 415/543 seats
84 + 47SC + ST seats reserved in the Lok Sabha (as on 26 January 2019)
25 yearsminimum age to contest an election
| Number / Year | What it is |
|---|---|
| 18 years | minimum voting age (was 21 before 1989) |
| Up to 2030 | SC-ST reservation extended to (originally 10 years) |
| 3.25% | minimum vote share for a seat in Israel |
| 6 years / 65 years | CEC and Election Commissioners’ tenure, whichever is earlier |
| 1993 | Election Commission became permanently multi-member |
| 2023 | Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (women’s reservation) |
| 1991 / 2002 | Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination / Gujarat violence, both led to postponed elections |
3 Definitions, exactly as they should be written
Every definition in one place
First Past the Post (FPTP)Whoever gets the most votes in a constituency wins, majority not required
Proportional Representation (PR)Every party gets seats in proportion to its vote share
Single Transferable Vote (STV)The method used for Rajya Sabha elections, MLAs rank candidates by preference
Separate electorateOnly voters of a particular community elected that community’s representative, rejected system
Reserved constituencyAll voters can vote, but the candidate must belong to the reserved community
Delimitation CommissionAppointed by the President, decides constituency boundaries and reservation
Universal adult franchiseEvery adult citizen has the right to vote, without discrimination
Special majoritySimple majority of total membership + two-thirds of those present and voting
4 Election Commission : structure and powers
Before 1989Single-member Commission
1989First time two more Commissioners appointed, reverted to single member after the election
1993 to todayPermanently multi-member
Main tasks: preparing electoral rolls · deciding the election schedule · enforcing the Model Code of Conduct · postponing/cancelling elections · recognising parties and allotting symbols.
Removing the CEC: needs a special majority recommendation of both Houses. Removing other Commissioners: the President can do this directly.
5 Reservation : for whom, and how
5.1 How SC-ST seats are decided
ST seats
- Constituencies with the highest ST population are reserved
SC seats
- Higher-SC-population constituencies, but also spread across the State (since SC population is evenly spread)
Final revision
- FPTP is India’s chosen system: simplicity, clear choice, accountability, and stable government
- Separate electorates were rejected (Tajamul Husain’s opposition); reserved constituencies adopted instead (Jaipal Singh’s support)
- After 1989, India saw an era of multi-party coalitions, letting small parties in despite FPTP
- Article 324 created the Election Commission; the Supreme Court has upheld its wide powers
- Electoral reform suggestions: move toward PR, women’s reservation, control money and crime in politics, but with no consensus on them
- India’s election system’s success: peaceful transfers of power, rising participation, inclusiveness, results free of rigging, elections now central to democratic life
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