Which of the following statements is correct for the First Past the Post system of election?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Candidate who wins the election may not get a majority (50%+1) votes.
In the First Past the Post (FPTP) system, used in India for the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies, the country is divided into constituencies that each elect one representative, and the candidate with the most votes wins. The winner needs only more votes than every other candidate, not more than half of all the votes, so when several candidates share the vote the winner often has well under 50%.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) More than one representative may be elected from one constituency. — Incorrect. FPTP uses single-member constituencies; large constituencies electing several members belong to proportional representation.
Option (2) Voter votes for the party. — Incorrect. In FPTP the voter votes for a candidate; voting for a party’s list is a feature of proportional representation.
Option (3) Every party gets seats in proportion to the percentage of votes that it gets. — Incorrect. This describes proportional representation; under FPTP a party’s share of seats can be far above or below its share of votes.