Test: Election and Representation- 2 - UPSC MCQ

Elections have today become the most visible symbol of the democratic process.

Direct democracy is where the citizens directly participate in the government’s day-to-day decision-making and government running.

In the Lok Sabha elections of 1984, the congress party came to power, winning 415 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats.

The congress party won four-fifths of the seats.

In the electoral race, the candidate who is ahead of others, which crosses the winning post, is the winner. This method is called the Plurality System.

Answer : b

There are many variations in electoral systems, but the most common systems are first-past-the-post voting, Block Voting, the two-round (runoff) system, proportional representation and ranked voting.

The FPTP system generally gives the largest party or coalition some bonus seats, more than their share of votes would allow.

Of the 543 elected seats in the Lok Sabha, 84 are reserved for scheduled castes, and 47 are reserved for scheduled tribes.

There has been a strong demand seeking reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women.

One-third of seats are demanded to reserve for women.

The Indian constitution adopts Universal adult franchise as a basis of elections to the Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies. Every citizen who is or above 18 years of age has a right to vote without any discrimination of caste, race , religion, sex, literacy, etc. The voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 by the Parliament in the year 1989 by the 61st Constitutional Amendment Act of 1988.

Article 324 of the Indian constitution provides an independent election commission for the superintendence, direction, and control of India’s electoral roll and elections.

• The president of India appointed two additional Commissioners on 16 October 1989.
• The objective behind the appointment of two more commissioners was to cope with the increased work of the election commission due to the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18 years.
• By the 61^st constitutional amendment act, the 1989 voting age from 21 was reduced to 18 years.
• In January 1990 additional 2 posts of the election, commissioners were abolished. In 1993 president of India appointed two more election commissioners since then Election Commission of India is a multi-member body.
• All the election commissioners have similar equal power and their salary structure is also the same.
• Sukumar Sen was the first election commissioner of India.

In 1989, two election commissioners were appointed, and the commission became multi-member.

The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed before the expiry of the term by the president if both houses of parliament make such are commendation with a special majority.