Reservation in Constituencies
In the First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system, the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency wins the election. However, this system may disadvantage smaller social groups, particularly in a diverse society like India with a history of caste-based discrimination. To address this issue, the Constitution makers opted for reserved constituencies instead of separate electorates. Unlike separate electorates, where only voters from a specific community can elect a representative from that community, reserved constituencies allow all voters to participate in elections, but candidates must belong to the designated community or social group.
Reserved constituencies ensure fair representation for marginalized groups across the country, even if their numbers are insufficient to influence victory in a particular constituency. The Constitution reserves seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their population share. The Delimitation Commission, an independent body appointed by the President of India, decides which constituencies will be reserved based on population composition. These reserved constituencies are periodically rotated to ensure equitable representation.
While the Constitution provides reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, there is growing demand for similar reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Despite existing reservation for women in local government bodies, a constitutional amendment is required to implement reservation at higher levels. Although proposed several times in Parliament, such an amendment has not yet been passed.
Class 11 School Polity Chapter 2: Reservation in Constituencies
In a democracy, fair representation of all social groups is essential for upholding the principles of equality and justice. However, in the context of India’s diverse social fabric, achieving this representation poses unique challenges.
The reservation of constituencies emerges as a mechanism to address these challenges and ensure the participation of marginalized communities in the electoral process.
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