Which of the following is a characteristic of a Proportional Representation system?
Every party gets seats in the legislature in proportion to the percentage of votes that it gets
Proportional Representation System Characteristic
A Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system is designed to ensure that the allocation of legislative seats mirrors the share of votes received by political parties.
Key Characteristic of PR
- Proportional Allocation: The defining feature of PR is that parties gain seats in the legislature in direct proportion to the percentage of votes they win. For example, if a party wins 30% of the national vote, it should ideally receive approximately 30% of the seats. This directly matches Option 4.
- Contrast with Other Systems:
- Option 1 describes the use of constituencies, common in majoritarian systems like First-Past-The-Post (FPTP), not necessarily PR.
- Option 2, where a winner lacks a majority, is typical of FPTP systems where only the highest vote-getter wins the seat, regardless of whether they achieve over 50%.
- Option 3, a party getting more seats than votes, is a frequent outcome in FPTP systems due to the 'winner-takes-all' nature of constituencies, which PR aims to avoid.
Therefore, the most accurate characteristic of a Proportional Representation system is the proportional distribution of seats based on vote percentage.
Important Questions from Polity
In a recent judgement, the Supreme Court of India directed that every protected forest, national park and wildlife sanctuary across the country should have a mandatory eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of a minimum of
Which one of the following Directive Principles was inserted by the Constitution (42 nd Amendment) Act, 1976?
A common High Court for two or more states can be established by:
Which one among the following is not a Fundamental Right under the Constitution of India?
The Central Vigilance Commission was established on the recommendation of which one of the following Committees?
