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First Past the Post System (FPTP) VS Proportional Representation (PR)
Context
In the recent Lok Sabha Elections, the NDA emerged as the leading alliance, forming the government with a majority of seats. However, the Opposition bloc also had a significant presence in the Parliament. Despite their collective vote share, other regional parties and independents didn't win many seats.
What is FPTP?
- First Past the Post System (FPTP) is a voting system used in India for Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections.
- It is also known as the simple majority system.
- In this system, the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins, regardless of whether they have a majority.
- Advantages of FPTP:
- Simple and feasible, suitable for a large country like India.
- Provides stability to the government as the winning party/coalition can have a majority in the legislature without winning a majority of votes.
- Issues with FPTP:
- May lead to over or under-representation of political parties compared to their vote share.
- In some cases, a party with a minority of votes can still win a majority of seats.
Alternatives to FPTP:
- Proportional Representation (PR) system ensures representation of parties based on their vote share.
- Mixed Member Proportional Representation (MMPR) combines FPTP with proportional representation, providing stability and proportionate representation.
- In the commonly used 'party list PR' system, voters vote for a political party, not specific candidates. Parties are then allocated seats in legislative bodies based on their overall vote share. There's usually a minimum threshold (around 3-5% of the vote) for a party to qualify for seats.
- Implementation in India: If implemented in India, PR would ideally operate at each State/Union Territory level due to the federal nature of the country.
- International Practices: Some countries like Germany and New Zealand use MMPR, ensuring both stability and proportionate representation.
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