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The 'first-past-the-post' electoral system, under which the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins, was adopted in India from:
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Answer: Option C — Britain
Detailed Solution
The "first-past-the-post" (FPTP) electoral system, also called the simple plurality system, was adopted in India from Britain.
How the system works:
- The country is divided into territorial constituencies, and each constituency elects one representative.
- The candidate who gets the largest number of votes in a constituency is declared elected, even if he or she does not get more than half of the votes.
- The name comes from horse racing, where the horse that passes the winning post first wins, regardless of the margin.
Use in India:
- Elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies are held by the first-past-the-post system, in single-member constituencies.
- Every adult citizen aged 18 years and above has the right to vote (universal adult franchise).
Why the Constituent Assembly chose FPTP:
- It is simple, and easy for voters to understand, which was important in a country where most people were not literate at that time.
- It gives voters a clear choice between candidates, and links each constituency with its representative.
- It usually produces stable governments, with a clear majority for one party or alliance.
Disadvantages:
- A party can win a majority of seats with less than half of the votes.
- The votes of the losing candidates are "wasted", and smaller parties may get fewer seats than their share of votes.
Proportional representation in India:
India uses the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote for some indirect elections, such as those of the President, the Vice-President, and the members of the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Councils.
Other British features:
The parliamentary form of government, the Cabinet system, the office of the Speaker and the rule of law are also derived from the British system.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The USA, Ireland and Australia were not the source of this system in India.
Quick tip
Remember: first-past-the-post (simple plurality) = adopted from Britain; used for Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
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Parliament — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Parliament, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the Parliament of India: the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, their composition, powers and officers, sessions, the law-making process, money bills, joint sittings, parliamentary committees, and devices such as question hour, zero hour and the various motions. Typical questions ask about the maximum strength of each house, the minimum age for members, who certifies a money bill (the Speaker), who presides over a joint sitting, and which committee is chaired by a member of the opposition (the Public Accounts Committee, by convention). Note the special powers of the Rajya Sabha under Articles 249 and 312. Practise the Parliament questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.