•First Past the Post System (FPTP) is followed in elections to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies.
•Under this system, the candidate who polls more than any other in a constituency is declared elected.
•This is the system that is followed for elections in democracies like the U.S., the U.K. and Canada.
•The primary advantage of the FPTP system is that it is simple and the most feasible method in a large country like India.
•Secondly, FPTP provides greater stability to the executive in our parliamentary democracy because the ruling party/coalition can enjoy a majority in the Lok Sabha/Legislative assembly without obtaining majority of the votes (more than 50%) across constituencies.
•FPTP, however, may result in over or under representation of political parties when compared to their vote share.
•In the first three elections after independence, the Congress party won close to 75% of seats in the then Lok Sabha with a 45-47% vote share.
•The Proportional Representation (PR) system ensures representation of all parties based on their vote share.
•The most commonly used PR system is the ‘party list PR’ where voters vote for the party (and not individual candidates) and then the parties get seats in proportion to their vote share.
•There is usually a minimum threshold of 3-5% vote share for a party to be eligible for a seat.
•The main criticism against the PR system is that it could potentially result in instability as no party/coalition may obtain a majority to form the government in our parliamentary democracy.
•Further, it may result in the proliferation of political parties based on regional, caste, religious and linguistic considerations that may promote casteist or communal voting patterns. However, the second criticism is not well founded since the present FPTP system has also not inhibited the formation of parties based on caste or communal considerations.
•In order to maintain balance between stability and proportionate representation, the system of Mixed Member Proportional Representation (MMPR) can be considered.
•Under this system, there is one candidate who is elected through the FPTP system from each territorial constituency.
•There are also additional seats that are filled based on various parties’ percentage of votes.
•Germany follows MMPR system, where 50% seats are filled from constituencies under the FPTP system and remaining 50% by apportioning them amongst parties.
•Similarly, in New Zealand, 60% seats are filled through the FPTP system from territorial constituencies, 40% are allotted to various parties.
•The law commission in its 170th report, ‘Reform of the electoral laws’ (1999), had recommended the introduction of the MMPR system on an experimental basis. It had suggested that 25% of seats may be filled through a PR system by increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha.