CLASS XI G POLITICAL SCIENCE

BOOK: INDIAN CONSTITUTION AT WORK

CH: 3 ELECTIONS AND REPRESENTATION
DAILY QUESTIONS 2: 09.05.2020

1. State the full form of FPTP and PR system.

Ans. FPTP- First Past The Post
PR- Proportional Representation
2. Explain the features of First Past the Post System.
Ans. The features of First Past the Post System are:
i. PR system is a complicated system which may work in a small country, but would be
difficult to work in a sub-continental country like India. The First Past The Post System is
simple to understand for voters who may have no specialised knowledge for politics and
elections.
ii. There is a clear choice presented to the voters at the time of elections. Voters have to
endorse a candidate or a party while voting. Depending on the nature of actual politics,
voters may either give great importance to the party or to the candidate or balance the
two.
iii. The FPTP system offers voters a choice not simply between parties but specific
candidates. In constituency based system like the FPT, the voters know who their own
representative is and can hold him or her accountable.
iv. The makers of our Constitution also felt that FPTP based election will be suitable for
giving a stable government in a parliamentary system. The system does not require that
the executive has majority in the legislature.
v. The FPTP system generally gives the largest party or coalition some extra bonus seats,
more than their share of votes would allow. Thus this system makes it possible for
Parliamentary government to function smoothly and effectively by facilitating the
formation of a stable government. The FPTP system encourages voters from different
social groups to come together to win an election in a locality.
vi. The FPTP system has helped larger parties to win clear majorities at the Centre and the
state level. The system has also discouraged political parties that get all the votes only
from one caste or community. The working of the FPTP system results in a two-party
system which is difficult for new parties or the third party to enter the competition and
share power. But, the distinguishing feature of India’s party system is that the rise of
coalitions has made it possible for new and smaller parties to enter into electoral
competition in spite of the FPTP system.
3. What makes the FPTP a legal method of election?
4. What are the features of the PR system?
5. Explain the three variants of the PR system. List the countries which follow these variants.
4m
Ans. The three variants of the PR system are:
i.
6. Name the legislative body of the following countries:
i. India: Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha
ii. Israel: KNESSET
iii. UK: West Minister
iv USA: 1. House of Representation
2. FELETE
7. What is the legislative body of the states of India called?
Ans. The Legislative body of the states are called Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha.
8. To which office does the Indian Constitution prescribe a PR system of representation?
Ans. To Rajya Sabha the Indian Constitution prescribes a PR system of representation.
9. Explain the differences between the FPTP and PR system. 6m
Ans. FPTP:
i. The country is divided into small geographical units called constituencies or districts.
ii. Every constituency elects one representative.
iii. Voters vote for a candidate.
iv. A party may get more seats than votes in the legislature.
v. Candidate who wins the elections may not get majority (50% +1) votes.
vi. There is a greater chance of one party getting a majority.
Example: India, U.K.
PR:
i. Large geographical areas are demarcated as constituencies. The entire country may be a
single constituency.
ii. More than one representative may be elected from one constituency.
iii. Voters vote for a party.
iv. Every party gets seats in the legislature in proportion to the percentage of votes that it
gets.
v. Candidate who wins the elections gets majority of votes.
vi. These forms of elections usually produce multi-party coalition government.
Example: Israel, Netherlands, Argentina
10. Read the newspaper clipping on page 55 of the text and answer the following questions
i. What event does the newspaper clipping talk about?
ii. Which party got a majority?
iii. What is the strength of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?
iv. How many seats did the party with majority seats get?
v. What was the percentage of votes?
vi. What was the vote and seat ratio?
vii. Name one other political party which got 7.4% votes but less than 1% seats.
11. Fill in the blanks
i. FPTP is also called the ________ system.
ii. Elections in Israel take place every _______ years.
iii. In the PR system a party gets seats in legislature in ________ to the votes polled by it.
iv. In India we have adopted PR system on a ________ scale for _______ elections.
v. In the FPTP system, the votes that go to losing candidates go _____.
12. State True or False
i. In Israel voters vote for the candidate and not the party.
ii. In the PR system smaller parties do not stand a chance for any seats/ representation in the
legislature.
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