Consider the following statements.
1. The election to the office of the President of India is held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single non-transferable vote.
2. The value of the vote of each Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh is greater than the value of the vote of the MP from Goa.
3. Electors cannot use the provision of NOTA in the election of President.
4. The provisions of Anti-defection law are not applicable in Presidential election.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Options
A1 and 2 only
B2 and 3 only
C3 and 4 only
D1, 2 and 4 only
Show AnswerHide Answer
Correct Answer
C3 and 4 only
Model Answer
The electoral college of President of India consists of elected members of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Legislative Assemblies of the states, and the Legislative Assemblies of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry.
He is elected indirectly by the principle of Proportional Representation by means of Single Transferable Vote. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
Under Article 324 of the Constitution of India, the authority to conduct elections to the Office of President is vested in the Election Commission of India.
The value of votes of MLAs would differ from State to State as it is based on population criterion and population of each state is different.
However, the value of votes of all MPs is the same whether in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
According to Election Commission of India ,the provisions of Anti- Defection Law are not applicable to the Presidential Election. Hence, statement 4 is correct.
NOTA Option
It is a voting option on the ballots and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) that allows voters to indicate disapproval of all contesting candidates without choosing any of them.
NOTA empowers the electors to express their negative opinions and a lack of support for the contenders.
The court has held that the NOTA option is meant only for universal adult suffrage and direct elections and not for polls held by the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote as done in the Rajya Sabha. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
NOTA defeats the fairness in indirect elections, as it ignores the role of an elector in such an election and destroys democratic values and encourages malpractices like defection and corruption.
Graphic on who elects the President of India (MPs, MLAs, Delhi and Puducherry legislatures) and the two ballot paper colours, green for MPs and pink for MLAs.
