The concept of “displacement current” was proposed by :

The correct answer is Option (2) → Maxwell

While applying Ampere’s circuital law to a circuit containing a charging capacitor, Maxwell found that the law gives a current through a surface cut by the wire but zero current through a surface passing between the plates, where no charge flows. He removed this contradiction by adding a current produced by the changing electric flux between the plates, which he called the displacement current.

    \( \displaystyle I_d = \varepsilon_0\,\frac{d\phi_E}{dt} \)

With this term the total current (conduction + displacement) is the same through every surface bounded by the loop.

NCERT (2026-27):
Introduction – “… James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), argued that this was indeed the case – not only an electric current but also a time-varying electric field generates magnetic field. While applying the Ampere’s circuital law to find magnetic field at a point outside a capacitor connected to a time-varying current, Maxwell noticed an inconsistency in the Ampere’s circuital law. He suggested the existence of an additional current, called by him, the displacement current to remove this inconsistency.”