ELECTION AND REPRESENTATION

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIRECT AND INDIRECT DEMOCRACY

DIRECT DEMOCRACY INDIRECT DEMOCRACY

In direct democracy citizens can directly In indirect democracy, representatives are
participate in process of decision making. chosen by citizens who participates in
process of decision making on people’s
behalf.
Such democracies can be practiced only in Such democracies can be practiced in large
small nation states with low population. Like nation sates with high population. Like
in ancient Greek city states. modern representative democracies.
Elections are not necessary requirement. Elections are heart and soul of such
democracies as by the means of elections
people choose their representatives.

POPULAR ELECTION SYSTEMS IN WORLD:

 First Past the Post System: In this system whichever candidate gets more votes than
the other candidates is declared elected. The winning candidate need not secure
majority votes. It is also called as Plurality System.

 Proportional Representation: In this system party gets the same proportion of seats in
parliament as per the proportion of votes. Each party fills its quota of seats by picking
those many nominees from preference list that has been declared before elections.

 Three variations of PR System:

i. PR system with country as Single Constituency: In such scenario

entire country is treated as one constituency, seats are allocated to each
party according to its share of votes in election. People vote for party not
for the candidates. Like is Israel and Netherlands

ii. PR system with country as Multi- member constituencies: In such

scenario entire country is divided into multi- member constituencies, each
party prepares list of candidates for each constituency, depending on how
many have to be elected from that constituency. People vote for party not
for the candidates. Like in Argentina and Portugal

iii. PR system with Single Transferable Vote: In such scenario voters

have single vote that is initially allocated to their most preferred candidate
as the count proceeds and candidates are either elected or eliminated, is
transferred to other candidates according to the voter's stated preferences, in
proportion to any surplus or discarded votes. Like in India this system is
followed to elect The President, Vice- President, Members of Rajya Sabha
and Vidhan Parishads
COMPARISON OF FPTP AND PR SYSTEM

FPTP PR
The country is divided into small geographical Large geographical areas are demarcated as
area called constituencies. constituencies. The entire country may be
treated as single constituency.
Every constituency elects one representative. More than one representative may be elected
from one constituency.
Voters vote for candidates. Voters vote for party.
A party may get more seats than votes in the Every party gets seats in the legislature in
legislature. proportion to percentage votes that it gets.
Candidate who wins the election may not get Candidate who wins elections gets majority
majority votes. votes.
Example: U.K. India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Example: Israel, Netherlands, Mexico, New
Canada Zealand, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Portugal

WHY DID INDIA ADOPT FOR FPTP SYSTEM?

 PR system is a complicated system which may work in small country but would
be difficult to work in large country like India.
 This entire system of election is simple to understand even for common voters
who may have no special knowledge about politics and elections.
 Voters get the clear choice at the time of elections. Depending on nature of
actual politics, voters may give greater importance to either party, candidate or
balance the two.
 The FPTP system offer voters a choice not only simply between the parties but
specific candidates. In this system voters know their own representative and can
held them accountable.
 Moreover, makers of our Constitution felt FPTP system will help in creating
stable parliamentary government. As PR system may not produce a clear
majority as seats in legislature would be divided on basis of share of votes. The
FPTP system generally gives largest party or coalition some extra bonus seat,
forming stable government.
 FPTP system encourages voters from different social groups to come together to
win election.
EVALUATE THE SUCCESS OF FPTP SYSTEM IN INDIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE:
 The system has proved to be simple and familiar to ordinary voters.
 It has helped large parties to win clear majorities at centre and state level.
 This system has also discouraged political parties that get all their votes only from one
caste or community.
 In case of India, FPTP system has made it possible for smaller and new political parties
to enter electoral competition.
LIMITATION OF FPTP SYSTEM:
 In this system the votes that go to all the losing candidates go ‘waste’ as parties or
candidates get no seat from those votes.
  A party or candidate gets selected even when it secures less votes. i.e suppose a
candidate only securing 30 per cent votes gets selected because everyone else got even
less votes.
RESERVATION OF CONSTITUENCIES:
 Objective behind reserved constituency: in FPTP system, a candidate who secures
highest votes in particular constituency is declared elected. Considering the fact that
caste- based discrimination exists in India, the FPTP system can mean that dominant
social groups and caste can win everywhere and the oppressed social groups may
remain unrepresented. Therefore it was decided by the Constituent Assembly that some
constituency would be reserved.
 Meaning of Reserved Constituencies: in this system, all voters in a constituency are
eligible to vote but candidates must belong only to a particular community or social
section (such as SC or ST) for which the seat is reserved.
 Reserved Seats for STs and SCs in Lok Sabha elections: The number of seats
reserved for both of these groups is in proportion to their share in population of India.
Out of 543 seats, 84 seats are reserved for SCs and 47 seats are reserved for STs (as
on 1st September 2012)
 Delimitation Commission:
 Delimitation Commission takes the decision on which constituency would be
reserved for STs or SCs.
 It is an independent body appointed by President of India and works in
collaboration with Election Commission.
 It is appointed for the purpose of drawing up the boundaries of constituencies all
over the country. A quota of constituencies to be reserved in each State is fixed
depending on the proportion of ST and SC in that State.
 Criteria for ST reserved constituency: those constituencies which have higher
proportion of ST population are reserved for ST.
 Criteria for SC reserved constituency: for SC reserved constituency, Commission
look into two things. First, those constituencies which have higher proportion of
SC population are reserved for SC. Second, it also spreads these constituencies
in different regions of the State because SC population in general is evenly
spread throughout the country.
FREE AND FAIR ELECTION
 For free election in India:

 Right to choose through Right to vote: every adult who is 18 or above has
right to vote. The Adult Franchise ensures that all citizens are able to participate
in process of selecting their representative. There is no discrimination as every
citizen has right to caste one vote and every vote has an equal value.

 For fair elections:

 Right to contest: Every citizen has right to contest and stand for election.
However there is minimum age requirement for contesting election. Like for Lok
 Sabha and State Legislative Assembly elections the minimum age requirement is
25 years.

 For Fair Elections: Creation of Independent and Impartial Election Commission

1. Constitutional Provision: Article 324 of Indian Constitution provides for an

independent Election Commission for ‘superintendence, direction and control of
electoral roll and conduct of elections for National and State Legislative Assembly in
India.

2. Debate on Election Commission to be Single or Multi- Member Body: till 1989,

Commission was single member body but before election it was changed to multi-
member body. Soon after, it was again reduced to single member body. In 1993, it
was again changed to multi- member body and since then it has remained the same.
EC includes Chief Election Commissioner and two other Election Commissioners.

3. Appointment: Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President of India

on advice of Council of Ministers. Though many persons have suggested that it leads
to partisan of CEC so different method should be followed, appointment should be
made in consultation with leader of opposition party and Chief Justice of India to
reduce the influence.

4. Tenure: CEC is appointed for the tenure of 6 years or continue till the age of 65.

5. Removal of CEC: the CEC is removed from the term before expiry, by President if
both Houses of Parliament make such recommendation with special majority.

6. Powers and Functions:

 It supervises and prepares up-to-date voter’s list. It make effort to ensure that
voter’s list is free form errors.
 It determines the timing of elections and prepares the election schedule. The
election schedule includes notifications of elections, date form which nominations
can be filed, last date of withdrawal of filing nominations, last date of scrutiny,
date of polling and counting and declarations of results.
 During entire election process, EC has the power to take decisions to ensure free
and fair poll. It can postpone or cancel the election in entire country or specific
region.
 It implements code of conduct for parties and candidates.
 The EC accords recognition to political parties and allot symbols to each of them.

7. Staff of EC: EC has very limited staff. During election process, administrative
officers of Central and State Governments are assigned election related duty, EC
has full control over them. EC can transfer the officers or stop their transfers.

8. Critical Analysis of EC:

  EC over the years have emerged as independent authority and has ensured free
and fair elections.
 The record of EC shows that every improvement in the functioning of the
institutions does not require legal or constitutional changes.
 It has become more independent and assertive now.

9. Challenges faced by:

 EC has faced many difficult situations such as holding elections in militancy
affected areas.
 It has also faced challenge of having to postpone election process mid- way in
1991 when ex- Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated during
campaigning.
 In 2002, EC faced critical situation when Gujarat Assembly was to be dissolved
and elections had to be held.
ELECTORAL REFORMS:
Some of the suggested electoral reforms:

 Our system of elections to be changed from FPTP to some variant of the PR system.
 There should be a special provision to ensure that at least one- third women to be
elected to parliament and assemblies.
 There should be stricter provisions to control the role of money in electoral politics. The
election expenses should be paid out by government special fund.
 Candidates with any criminal case should be barred from contesting elections.
 There should be complete ban on use of religious and caste appeals in campaign.
 There should be law to regulate the functioning of political parties and ensure that
function a transparent and democratic manner.