The remarkable success of the Congress party can be traced back to its deep roots in the legacy of the freedom struggle. Being viewed as the rightful heir of the national movement, the Congress party attracted leaders who had actively participated in the battle, many of whom contested elections as Congress candidates. With its well-established organization, the Congress party had already initiated its campaign while other parties were still strategizing. In fact, several parties were formed either around Independence or after that, giving the Congress party a significant advantage as it was the first to embark on political endeavours.

What is the name of the system of election that has been adopted in India and was responsible for artificially boosting the extent of Congress victory in the first few elections?

First-past-the-post voting

The electoral system in India played a significant role in amplifying the extent of the Congress party's victory.
Despite not securing a majority of the votes, the Congress party managed to win three out of every four seats.
In the 1952 elections, for instance, the Congress party received 45 percent of the total votes but secured an overwhelming 74 percent of the seats.
On the other hand, the Socialist Party, despite obtaining over 10 percent of the votes nationwide, could only secure less than three percent of the seats.
First-past-the-post method of election system in India contributed to the disparity between the votes obtained and the corresponding seat allocation, ultimately boosting the Congress party's dominance.

The first-past-the-post (FPTP) system is also known as the simple majority system used in India. It declares the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency as the winner. FPTP is used in direct elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

The first-past-the-post (FPTP) system is also known as the simple majority system used in India.

It declares the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency as the winner.

FPTP is used in direct elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.