What is the advantage of the 'FPTP' system in India?

A) The FPTP system is very simple and easily understood by the voters.
B) It offers a clear choice presented to the voters at the time of elections.
C) The FPTP system offers voters a choice not simply between parties but specific candidates.
D) The FPTP system generally gives the largest party or coalition some extra bonus seats, more than their share of votes would allow. 
E) Finally, the FPTP system encourages voters from different social groups to come together to win an election in a locality.

Choose the correct answer from the given options:

All the statements are correct.

The correct answer is Option 4- All the statements are correct.

A) The FPTP system is very simple and easily understood by the voters.
B) It offers a clear choice presented to the voters at the time of elections.
C) The FPTP system offers voters a choice not simply between parties but specific candidates.
D) The FPTP system generally gives the largest party or coalition some extra bonus seats, more than their share of votes would allow. 
E) Finally, the FPTP system encourages voters from different social groups to come together to win an election in a locality.

The reason for the popularity and success of the FPTP system is its simplicity. The entire election system is extremely simple to understand even for common voters who may have no specialised knowledge about politics and elections. There is also a clear choice presented to the voters at the time of elections. Voters have to simply endorse a candidate or a party while voting. Depending on the nature of actual politics, voters may either give greater importance to the party or to the candidate or balance the two. The FPTP system offers voters a choice not simply between parties but specific candidates. In other electoral systems, especially PR systems, voters are often asked to choose a party and the representatives are elected on the basis of party lists. As a result, there is no one representative who represents and is responsible for one locality. In constituency based system like the FPTP, the voters know who their own representative is and can hold him or her accountable. More importantly, the makers of our Constitution also felt that PR based election may not be suitable for giving a stable government in a parliamentary system. This system requires that the executive has majority in the legislature. It is noticed that the PR system may not produce a clear majority because seats in the legislature would be divided on the basis of share of votes. The FPTP system generally gives the largest party or coalition some extra bonus seats, more than their share of votes would allow. Thus this system makes it possible for parliamentary government to function smoothly and effectively by facilitating the formation of a stable government. Finally, the FPTP system encourages voters from different social groups to come together to win an election in a locality. In a diverse country like India, a PR system would encourage each community to form its own nation-wide party. This may also have been at the back of the mind of our constitution makers. The experience of the working of the Constitution has confirmed the expectation of the constitution makers.