Q. Consider the following statements: - In the election for Lok Sabha or State Assembly, the winning candidate must get at least 50 percent of the votes polled, to be declared elected.
- According to the provisions laid down in the Constitution of India, in Lok Sabha, the Speaker's post goes to the majority party and the Deputy Speaker's to the Opposition.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (UPSC Prelims 2017)
Answer:
Neither 1 nor 2
Notes: The correct answer is
[D] Neither 1 nor 2. This question tests your understanding of the Indian electoral system and the parliamentary conventions that govern the Lok Sabha.Detailed Analysis of the Statements:
- The Winning Threshold (Statement 1 – Incorrect):India follows the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system for elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Under this system, a candidate is declared the winner if they secure the highest number of votes among all contesting candidates in a constituency. There is no requirement to cross a specific percentage, such as 50%. A candidate can win even with 20% or 30% of the total votes if everyone else gets less than that.
- Speaker and Deputy Speaker Posts (Statement 2 – Incorrect):The Constitution of India (Article 93) specifies that the Lok Sabha shall choose two members of the House to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker as soon as may be. It does not contain any provision stating that the Speaker must be from the majority party and the Deputy Speaker from the opposition.
- The Reality: Until the 10th Lok Sabha, both posts usually went to the ruling party.
- The Convention: Since the 11th Lok Sabha, a parliamentary convention (not a constitutional provision) evolved where the Speaker comes from the ruling party/coalition and the Deputy Speaker post is offered to the main opposition party. However, because it is a convention and not a law, it is not mandatory.
Comparison: FPTP vs. Proportional Representation
| Feature | First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) | Proportional Representation (PR) |
| Winning Criteria | Relative majority (highest votes) | Absolute majority or quota |
| Used in India for | Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha | Rajya Sabha, President, Vice-President |
| Simplicity | High (easy for voters) | Complex (requires calculation) |
Key Constitutional Articles to Remember:
- Article 81: Composition of the Lok Sabha.
- Article 93: Election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
- Article 326: Universal Adult Suffrage (the basis for our elections).