Electoral Reforms in India
Indian Polity & Governance
- PYQs6
- Articles1
Background
Electoral reforms are a perennial topic for UPSC, focusing on measures to enhance the fairness, transparency, and efficiency of elections, address issues like funding, voter rolls, and the role of the Election Commission.
Electoral reforms refer to changes in electoral systems to improve fairness, transparency, and accountability in the democratic process. In India, these reforms are crucial for strengthening the integrity of elections and ensuring public trust in the outcomes.
Facts & tables
- Credibility Concerns
- The article highlights concerns about the electoral system sacrificing credibility and transparency.
- Electoral Malpractices
- Mentions 'multidimensional electoral frauds' as a factor eroding democratic strength.
- Call for Reform
- Calls for urgent and comprehensive reform of the electoral system.
- Democratic Imperative
- Aims to ensure free and fair elections, which are fundamental to a democratic republic.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Indian Polity & Governance |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Election Commission of India | Proposes and implements electoral reforms |
| Parliament | Legislates on electoral laws |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Aims: Fairness, transparency, accountability in elections.
- Issues: Credibility, transparency, electoral frauds.
- Need: Strengthen democratic integrity.
- Key areas: Voter rolls, vote counting, declaration of results.
- Actors: ECI, Parliament, political parties.
Check if created by Constitution or by Parliament.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2020 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2020 | Conceptual understanding, Definition-based questions |
| 2017 | Statement-based questions, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2015 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
Timeline
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Indian Polity & Governance
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2015
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2017
Statement-based questions, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2020
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2020
Conceptual understanding, Definition-based questions
-
Prelims 2023
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Resistance, renewal and the future of the INDIA bloc
Electoral reforms are proposed changes to the electoral system aimed at improving its integrity, transparency, and fairness, addressing issues like voter fraud, campaign finance, and the independence of electoral bodies.
See also
No related topics linked yet.
Past papers
2015–2024 · 4 questions
In the news
Resistance, renewal and the future of the INDIA bloc
Electoral reforms are proposed changes to the electoral system aimed at improving its integrity, transparency, and fairness, addressing issues like voter fraud, campaign finance, and the independence of electoral bodies.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements in respect of election to the President of India:
1. The members nominated to either House of the Parliament or the Legislative Assemblies of States are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College.
2. Higher the number of elective Assembly seats, higher is the value of vote of each MLA of that State.
3. The value of vote of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is greater than that of Kerala.
4. The value of vote of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh because the ratio of total population to total number of elective seats in Puducherry is greater as compared to Arunachal Pradesh
How many of the above statements are correct?
* Statement 1 is incorrect: The elected members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament that is the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha as well as the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and Union Territories (Delhi, Puducherry and J&K) comprise the electoral college for the Presidential Election in India. * Statement 2 is incorrect: The value of the vote of each MLA depends on the ratio of the States population and the number of MLAs in its legislative Assembly. By dividing the States population by the number of MLAs in its legislative Assembly, and then further dividing the quotient achieved by 1000, one may calculate the value of each MLAs vote. Based on a calculation that takes into account each States population about the number of members in its legislative Assembly, each MLAs vote value varies from State to State. According to the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act of 2001, the population of the States is currently calculated using data from the 1971 Census. * Statement 3 is incorrect: The vote value of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is less than that of the vote value of each MLA of Kerala as the ratio of total population to total elective seats in Kerala is greater relative to that in Madhya Pradesh. * Statement 4 is correct: The vote value of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh as the ratio of total population to total elective seats in Puducherry is greater relative to that in Arunachal Pradesh. In the 2022 Presidential election, the vote value of each MLA from Puducherry was 16 whereas the vote value of each MLA from Arunachal Pradesh came out to be 8.
Consider the following statements:
1. According to the Constitution of India a person who is eligible to vote can be made a minister in a State for six months even if he/she is not a member of the Legislature of that State.
2. According to the Representation of People Act, 1951, a person convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for five years is permanently disqualified from contesting an election even after his release from prison.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Qualifications a person should possess to become eligible for appointment as a minister are - He should be a citizen of India. - He should be above 25 years of age - He should not hold any office of profit under the government of India - If he is not a member of Parliament, then he should be elected to the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha within six months after he is appointed a minister. Statement 1 is incorrect. A person is eligible to vote at the age of 18 years while it is necessary to have the age of 25 years to become a minister. Statement 2 is incorrect. Section 8 (3) of the RP Act states that if an MP or MLA is convicted for any other crime and is sent to jail for 2 years or more, he/ she will be disqualified for 6 years from the time of release.
With reference to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, consider the following statements :
While any resolution for the removal of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is under consideration
1. He/She shall not preside.
2. He/She shall not have the right to speak.
3. He/She shall not be entitled to vote on the resolution in the first instance.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: Under Article 96(1), the Speaker cannot preside over the House while a resolution for their removal is active, even if they are present. Statement 2 is incorrect: Under Article 96(2), the Speaker maintains the right to speak and participate in the proceedings of the House during the consideration of the removal resolution. Statement 3 is incorrect: According to Article 96(2), the Speaker is entitled to vote only in the first instance. They do not have a "casting vote" (the vote used to break a tie/second instance) in this specific scenario.
With reference to the Union Government consider the following statements.
1. The Department of Revenue is responsible for the preparation of Union Budget that is presented to the parliament
2. No amount can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of India without the authorization of Parliament of India.
3. All the disbursements made from Public Account also need Authorization from the Parliament of India.
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect: Department of Economic Affairs prepares the Budget. Statement 2 is correct: As per Article 114 of the Constitution, the government can withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund only after receiving approval from Parliament. Statement 3 is incorrect: Public Accounts include provident fund deposits, judicial deposits, savings bank deposits, departmental deposits, remittances and so on. This account is operated by executive action, that is, the payments from this account can be made without parliamentary appropriation. Such payments are mostly like banking transactions. So, only the second statement is correct.
Consider the following statements:
1. In the election for Lok Sabha or State Assembly, the winning candidate must get at least 50 per cent of the votes polled, to be declared elected.
2. 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?
The statement 1 is incorrect. In India, the winning candidate is the one who receives the highest number of votes, which is also known as the first-past-the-post system. There is no requirement for the winning candidate to secure at least 50% of the votes polled. The statement 2 is also incorrect. The Constitution of India does not mandate that the Speaker's post goes to the majority party and the Deputy Speaker's post goes to the Opposition. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected by the members of the Lok Sabha from amongst themselves. Therefore, neither of the statements is correct.
Show 1 more PYQs
A Parliamentary System of Government is one in which
Option B is the correct answer. A parliamentary system of government is one in which the executive is responsible to the legislature. This responsibility means that the executive stays in power as long as it enjoys the confidence of the house. The moment the confidence is lost, it can be removed by Parliament by passing the no-confidence motion. This is the same feature which hampers the stability of the parliamentary system. Options A and C are incorrect. Parliamentary system functions irrespective of whether all parties have representation. The government is not directly elected by the people but indirectly through their representative in Parliament. Therefore, the instrument to remove the government through public vote is not available in the parliamentary system; this is a feature found in direct democracies. Option D is incorrect. It goes against the fundamental principle of parliamentary democracy which requires an executive responsible to the legislature. Therefore the correct answer is B.