What are Various Electoral Forms? A Comparative Perspective for UPSC

Every democracy is built on elections. They determine not just who is in power but also how that power is justified. So what is electoral reform? The electoral form, often known as the electoral system, is a crucial component at the centre of every election. This set of regulations establishes the type of representation in legislatures and converts votes into seats.This blog will give you a comparative perspective for Upsc regarding electoral reforms.

Calls to review the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system and investigate alternatives like proportional representation or mixed systems have reignited debates on electoral reform in India. Although this argument is not new, it is becoming more and more pertinent in light of India’s intricate social structure and changing political landscape. One must first comprehend the many electoral types found in India’s constitutional framework and around the world in order to comprehend these discussions.

What is Electoral Reform?

The institutional guidelines by which votes cast in an election are translated into seats in a legislature or other government offices are referred to as an electoral form (or system).

 These versions differ in:

• Design of constituencies: single-member versus multi-member
• Methods of counting (preferential, proportional, majority, and plurality)
• Election type (local versus national, direct versus indirect)

Therefore whether an election is held in a way that prioritises stability, inclusivity, minority voices or decisive majorities affects not only who wins but also the nature of representation.

World’s Principal Forms of Election

1. Plurality System/First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) 

• Mechanism: Regardless of majority, the candidate who receives the most votes in a single-member constituency is proclaimed the winner.
• Used in: United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and India (Lok Sabha & State Assemblies).
• Benefits include ease of use, speedy outcomes, and a propensity to establish solid one-party systems.
• Criticisms:

• Unfair results (for example, a party with 35% of the vote could win the majority of seats).
• marginalisation of minority communities and smaller parties.”Wasted votes” refers to votes that are lost but do not count towards representation.

The question of whether FPTP accurately reflects the range of viewpoints in a varied society has long been contested in India.

2. Majority Systems/ Two Round Voting

• Mechanism:Two-round voting or majority systems require candidates to obtain an absolute majority (>50%). Top candidates compete in a runoff if no one succeeds in doing so.
• Used in: a number of African countries, France (for presidential elections).
• Benefits: Guarantees the validity of the majority for the winners.
• Criticisms: Time-consuming and expensive because of the second round, smaller parties may still be excluded.

If direct elections were ever contemplated, this system might be appropriate for India in situations such as presidential elections.

3. Proportional Representation (PR)

Mechanism: The mechanism known as proportional representation (PR) allocates seats based on the number of votes obtained, typically in constituencies with multiple members.

Variants

• Party List PR: Seats are distributed based on vote share after voters select a party.
• Voters rank candidates using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) method, and votes are transferred until every seat is occupied.

Used in: The majority of European countries, including Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Benefits:

• more equitable representation of voter preferences.
• promotes the representation of women, minorities, and smaller parties.

Remarks:

• causes political fragmentation and coalition administrations.
• weakens the direct relationship between representatives and constituencies.
• STV with proportional representation is used in Rajya Sabha elections in India.

4. Mixed /Hybrid systems

• Mechanism:The mechanism of mixed or hybrid systems combines PR and FPTP. Constituency elections are used to fill some seats, while proportional “top-up” lists are used to fill others.
• Used in Japan, New Zealand, and Germany.
• Benefits: Strikes a balance between PR justice and FPTP stability.
• Criticisms include the intricacy of counting and management.

For India, this kind of arrangement is frequently proposed in order to maintain constituency representation while enhancing equity for smaller parties.

5. Preferential or Ranked Systems

• Mechanism: Candidates are ranked by voters according to their preferences. Until a winner is determined, votes are transferred from surplus and eliminated votes.
• Used in Ireland (STV in multi-member constituencies) and Australia (House of Representatives).
• Benefits: Lessens vote division and guarantees that the winners are more widely accepted.
• Criticisms: More intricate; voters could not understand the ranking.

Preferential voting is used in India’s presidential and vice presidential elections.

Indian Election Procedures: A Constitutional Viewpoint

The Constitution of India allows for several types of elections:

• State and Lok Sabha Assemblies: FPTP in one-member districts.
• Rajya Sabha & Legislative Councils: Proportional representation via STV by elected MLAs is used in indirect elections for the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Councils.
• President: The president is chosen via an electoral college using weighted votes and preferential voting.
• Vice President: MPs elect the vice president by STV proportional representation.
• Local Bodies (Panchayats & Municipalities): In several states, chairpersons and mayors are elected indirectly, whereas the majority of members are elected directly.

India thus employs a variety of forms that are suited to various constitutional functions.

Why Discuss Indian Election Forms?

Stability vs. Representation: PR permits inclusivity but runs the risk of fracturing mandates, while FPTP provides stability but excludes smaller parties.

• Voices of Minorities and Regions: Due to India’s social diversity, proportionality is essential to preventing smaller communities from feeling alienated.
• Gender Representation: Women are frequently more represented thanks to mechanisms like PR.
• Coalition Politics: Despite FPTP, India currently has a fractured political system which begs the question of whether PR would be more in line with the desires of voters.
• voter disillusionment: FPTP’s high percentage of “wasted votes” raises questions about its legitimacy.

Election forms define who is represented, how equitably and with what stability, they are not just formalities. The current FPTP system in India has produced powerful governments but it has also sparked worries about under-representation. Investigating proportional or hybrid models could assist India in better balancing stability and variety.

After all, no election system is perfect. Creating one that is inclusive, participative and stable enough to enable efficient governance is a task that aligns with India’s democratic values. Therefore it is not only appropriate but also crucial for the future of Indian democracy to have a genuine discussion about voting forms.

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About the Author: Jyoti Verma