First Past the Post (FPTP) VS. Proportional Representation Electoral System

In June 2024, many citizens and political parties in India have agreed that the current First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system should be replaced with a Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system.

About First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) Electoral System

1. Voters cast a vote for a single candidate, and the candidate with the most votes wins the election.
2. Also called the simple majority system or plurality system.
3. One of the oldest and simplest electoral systems, used in the UK, the US, Canada, and India.

Features of FPTP

1. Voters are given a list of candidates from various political parties or independent candidates.
2. Voters select one candidate by marking their ballot paper or using an electronic voting machine.
3. The candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins.
4. The winner does not need a majority (over 50%) of votes but just a plurality (the largest number) of votes.
5. This system often results in disproportionate outcomes in assemblies or the Parliament, where parties may not be represented according to their share of the overall vote.

Advantages of FPTP

1. Simplicity: Easy for voters to understand and for officials to manage, making it cost-effective and efficient.

2. Clear and Decisive Winners: Provides results with a definitive winner, contributing to stability and credibility in the electoral system.

3. Accountability: Candidates directly represent constituents, offering better accountability compared to Proportional Representation (PR) systems where candidates may be less known.

4. Candidate Selection: Voters can choose between parties and specific candidates, whereas the PR system requires selecting a party, with representatives elected based on party lists.

5. Coalition-Building: Encourages different social groups to unite locally, promoting broader unity and preventing fragmentation into numerous community-based parties.

About the Proportional Representation (PR) Systems

1. Proportional Representation (PR) is an electoral system where political parties receive seats in the legislature proportional to the votes they get in elections.

2. Features:

1. It represents political parties fairly based on their vote share.
2. It ensures every vote contributes to seat allocation in Parliament or other elected bodies.

Types of the Proportional Representation Systems

1. Single Transferable Vote (STV):

1. Voters rank candidates in order of preference and cast only one vote.
2. PR by STV allows voters to select their preferred party candidate and vote for independents.
3. The President of India is elected through PR by STV, using a secret ballot.
4. The electoral college, including State Legislative Assemblies, the Council of States, and members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, participates in this process.

2. Party-List PR:

1. Voters cast their vote for a party rather than individual candidates, and seats are allocated to parties based on their vote share.
2. A minimum threshold of 3-5% vote share is usually required for a party to win a seat.

3. Mixed-Member Proportional Representation (MMP):

1. MMP balances stability and proportional representation in a political system.
2. One candidate is elected from each territorial constituency through the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system, with additional seats allocated to parties based on their national vote percentage.
3. This system allows for diverse representation while maintaining individual representatives from specific areas.
4. Countries like New Zealand, South Korea, and Germany use MMP.

Advantages of Proportional Representation Systems

1. Ensures Every Vote Counts: In proportional representation (PR), each vote is counted when allocating seats in Parliament. This boosts voter engagement in the democratic process.

2. Diverse and Representative Government: PR promotes representation of smaller parties and minority groups, leading to a broader range of perspectives and ideas in Parliament.

3. Reduces Manipulation: PR systems minimize gerrymandering (manipulation) because seats are distributed based on the proportion of votes received by each party, rather than manipulated district boundaries.

1. This prevents parties from unfairly altering the electoral map to their benefit.

Disadvantages of Proportional Representation Systems

1. Unstable Governments: PR can result in unstable governments as it increases the likelihood of smaller parties and minority groups being represented, making it difficult to form stable coalitions and govern effectively.

2. More Complex: PR systems are often more complex than First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) systems, which can be harder for voters to understand and for governments to implement.

3. Expensive: Operating PR systems can be costly, requiring significant resources and funds to conduct elections.

4. Neglect of Local Needs: PR can cause leaders to prioritize party agendas over local needs since multiple representatives share a constituency.

1. This diffusion of accountability may result in selfish political behaviour and neglect of specific constituency concerns.

Need to Shift from FPTP System to the PR System

1. Over or Under Representation: The FPTP system can lead to over or under representation of political parties in terms of seats compared to their vote share.

1. For example, in the first three elections after independence, the Congress party won nearly 75% of seats in the Lok Sabha with just 45-47% of the vote share.
2. Similarly, in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received 37.36% of the vote but won 55% of the seats.
3. If the PR system is applied for the 2024 elections, then:

Political formation	% of votes	Actual number of seats	Seats as per PR
National Democratic Alliance (NDA)	43.3%	293*	243
INDIA bloc	41.6%	234	225
Others/independents	15.1%	16	75
Total	100%	543	543

2. Lack of Representation for Minority Groups: In a two-party FPTP system, a party with a small percentage of votes may not win any seats, leaving a significant portion of the population unrepresented in the government.

1. While countries like the UK and Canada also use FPTP, their Members of Parliament (MPs) have greater accountability to their local constituencies.

3. Strategic Voting: Voters may feel compelled to vote for a candidate they do not fully support to prevent a disliked candidate from winning. This can result in voters not truly expressing their preferences.

4. Disadvantage for Smaller Parties: Smaller parties struggle to win in the FPTP system and often have to align with national parties, which can undermine local self-government and federalism.

Other Alternative Electoral Systems Ranked Voting Systems: These systems let voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. Score Voting Systems: These systems enable voters to rate candidates on a numerical scale instead of selecting or ranking them. International Practices Presidential democracies like Brazil and Argentina, and parliamentary democracies such as South Africa, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Germany, and New Zealand use various proportional representation (PR) systems. Germany: Uses the Mixed Member Proportional Representation (MMPR) system. Half of the 598 Bundestag seats are filled from constituencies using the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system, while the other half is allocated to parties that secure at least 5% of the votes. New Zealand: 60% of the 120 House of Representatives seats are filled through the FPTP system from territorial constituencies. The remaining 40% are distributed to parties with at least 5% of the votes.

What can be done in future?

1. Recommendations of the Law Commission

1. The Law Commission’s 170th report (1999) proposed introducing the MMPR system on a trial basis.
2. Suggested that 25% of Lok Sabha seats be filled using a PR system by increasing the Lok Sabha’s size.
3. It recommended considering the entire nation as one unit for PR based on vote share.
4. Alternatively, it suggested doing this at the state or UT level, recognizing India's federal structure.

2. Upcoming Delimitation Exercise

1. The upcoming delimitation exercise will redraw constituencies based on population shifts.
2. This could disadvantage states with slower population growth, potentially violating federal principles and causing resentment in states losing representation.
3. A mechanism is needed to ensure fair representation for all states, regardless of population growth:
   • Considering current representation levels to create a fair balance.
   • Exploring alternative systems like the MMPR.

3. Recommendation for MMPR System

1. To achieve a more equitable power distribution, the MMPR system could be implemented for additional seats or at least a quarter of the existing seats in each state/UT.
2. This would empower southern, northeastern, and smaller northern states by giving them a stronger voice in Parliament, even with an increased total number of seats.

Conclusion

As India evolves as a democracy, exploring electoral reforms like proportional representation and MMPR can lead to a more balanced and fair system. Implementing these changes thoughtfully, considering India’s unique federal and diverse nature, can enhance the democratic process and ensure that every vote counts.

 

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