Minority Representation

Introduction
Meaning and definition

The word minority is used in more than one sense. In the legislature, the
majority becomes the ruling party and the minority party becomes
opposition. Apart from this political minority, there are several other
minorities like, linguistic, racial and communal. Thus, in India, Hindus
are in majority and Christians, Anglo-Indians and Muslims are in
minority. This is religious or communal minority.
Definition
Minority representation is defined as the number of elected candidates
supporting the minority position. One way of securing representation
for minorities is adopting proportional representation. Another method
is communal representation. Under this system special arrangements are
made for minority representation. There may be separate electorates for
separate communities. Such a provision was made during the British
rule in India.
It is true, in a democracy, wider participation should be allowed. No section of
the society should go without representation. However, as provided and in
dealing with proportional representation, reservation of any kind will only
promote division among the society. Any system of minority representation
only divides people into hostile camps. It also develops hatred among minority
and majority against each other. Consequently, democracy, which implies the
existence of common will suffer most under a system of minority
representation. Minority representation does not provide the answer to the
basic problem of democracy. The problem is how can every group be given
an opportunity to participate or influence the process of legislation. The
answer lies in creating avenues for the minority to express themselves.
Arguments For Minority Representation

Give minority parties and independent candidates a better chance of getting into parliament,
proponents and introduce different voices to our national political life.

People would not be "wasting" their vote. This would mean that the minority parties would
have to appeal to their core supporters, so swing voters in marginal seats.
There could be a higher turnout at the polls under this system.

As minority representation system seldom results in one party holding an absolute majority,
it requires governments to compromise and build consensus, meaning that in theory, at least
stable, centrist policies will carry the day.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST MINORITY REPRESENTATION

Minority representation system allows extremist parties to gain a foothold in

national life.

Under Minority representation system, electoral constituencies would have to be

much bigger, possibly leading to local issues being lost in the crowd.

The coalition governments that minority representation to produce are often weak
and indecisive, say its detractors.
Cumulative Vote system
Involves with member constituencies. A voter has as many votes as the

number of seats. A voter has the right to the option of either giving his

votes to all, to a few or even to concentrate all his votes just for one

candidate. A well organised minority has an opportunity to get at least

one of its representatives elected by cumulating all its votes in favour of

its own candidate. It used in educational institutions and for local bodies

in Great Britain and U.S.A.

Limited Vote System

Involves multi member constituencies: Voter has certain number of votes

which is less than the number of seats to be filled. This system acts as a

check on the monopolization of representation in a constituency by a

single political body and helps minority to get at least one seat.
List System
A method of voting for several electoral candidates, usually members of the same
political party, with one mark of the ballot. Electors vote for one of several lists of
candidates, usually prepared by the political parties. Each party is granted seats in
proportion to the number of popular votes it receives.

There are several rules for computing the number of seats awarded to a party, the
best known being the "d'Hondt rule" and the "largest-remainder rule." Seats are
usually awarded to candidates in the order in which their names appear on the lists.
Although ordinarily the list system forces the voters to cast their votes for parties
rather than for individual candidates, a number of variations on the system permit
voter preferences for individuals to be taken into account.
Single Member and Second Balloting
The two round system (aka. the second ballot or the runoff voting) is a voting
method used to elect a single winner, where the voter casts a single vote for their
chosen candidate. However, if no candidate receives the required number of votes,
or all but the two candidates receiving the most votes, are eliminated, and a second
round of voting is held. Runoff voting involves two rounds of voting. Only two
candidates survive to the second round.
Voting and Counting
In both rounds of an election conducted using runoff voting, the voter simply marks an “X”
beside his/her favourite candidate. If no candidate has an absolute majority of votes (i.e
more than half) in the first round then the two candidates with the most votes process to a
second round, from which all others are excluded. In the second round because there only
two candidates, and absent a tie vote, one candidate will achieve an absolute majority. In the
second round each voter is entirely free to change the candidate he or she votes for, even if
his preferred candidate has not yet been eliminated but he has merely changed his mind.
Multi Member Constituency
Introduction

The choice of electoral systems has a significant effect on who is elected, and a great
many areas are affected beyond this direct votes to seats relationship. A few of the
most prominent ones are:

Governance.

Representation.

Party formation.
Meaning
It is an electoral district from which two or more members are
sent to the legislature. Multi-member Constituency (MMC's)
are electoral districts that send two or more members to a
legislative chamber.
A multi-member electoral constituency (MMC) is an electoral
district electing more than one representative to office. All
proportional representation systems use MMC's, simply because
it is impossible to distribute anything proportionally if there is
only one seat.
Working of this system

The system requires two or more vacant seats for elections and is used for local
elections in England and Wales. The original method and the one most commonly
used is the following variety of bloc vote: Electors vote for as many candidates as
vacant seats in their geographic division of the election, or they may vote for
fewer candidates. The elector cannot vote more than once for any candidate. A
single vote for one of the candidates was known as a plumper, and was particularly
valued by the candidate receiving it and would be sought or demanded when
campaigning and offering hospitality especially from the most reliable supporters.
Drawbacks

The system suffered from a drawback for a small minority of "ambitious electors".
If a majority of geographic divisions vote solidly for one party or cause, justifying multiple
candidates and multiple wins then there is no disparity in overall most votes versus overall
most seats.
If a majority of geographic divisions split their votes between two parties (such as where the
more popular one or both are afraid to run two candidates as there are further choices on the
ballot paper), and where one of those receives great support so should have run two
candidates, then it will have "shot itself in the foot" by not running two candidates. It has
given away such extra seats. All it takes is some seats with a full slate of opposing candidates
to tip the election against it, despite winning great support in the mixed outcome seats.
MERITS

An advantage of the system, at least from the point of view of politicians, is it

enables different sections of a party or allied groups to work together in the same
constituency.
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