Question 48 from UPSC CSE 2018 - Polity

Question

With reference to the election of the President of India, consider the following statements:
1. The value of the vote of each MLA varies from State to State.
2. The value of the vote of MPs of the Lok Sabha is more than the value of the vote of MPs of the Rajya Sabha.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. 1 only

Strategy: -   **For Statement 1:** Focus on the MLA vote value, which is determined by dividing the state's population by its number of elected MLAs. This formula intrinsically leads to variations in vote value across different states.
-   **For Statement 2:** Recognize that all MPs, from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, have an equal value per vote, as established by their specific calculation process.
-   **Conclusion:** Based on these points, determine that only Statement 1 is correct.

Key Info: ## Election of the President of India

The President of India is elected by an electoral college, as stipulated by Article 54 of the Constitution.

**Electoral College Composition:**
-   Elected members of both Houses of Parliament.
-   Elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of all States.
-   Elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of Delhi and Puducherry (Union Territories with legislatures).
-   Nominated members are excluded.

### Value of an MLA's Vote

The value of each MLA's vote is determined by the following formula:
(Population of the State / Total elected MLAs in the State's Assembly) * 1/1000.

Fractions exceeding 500 are counted as one, while others are disregarded. This calculation inherently results in different vote values for MLAs across states, depending on their population and the strength of their legislative assembly.

### Value of an MP's Vote

To determine an MP's vote value:
1.  The total value of all MLA votes from all states is summed.
2.  This sum is then divided by the total number of elected MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha combined.

This process ensures a uniform value for each MP's vote, applicable to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, within a given Presidential election cycle.

### System Design and Population Basis

The electoral system is designed to maintain parity between the states and the Union during the President's election. Population figures referenced for these calculations are based on the 1971 Census and will remain in effect until the first census conducted after 2026, as established by the Constitution (Eighty-Fourth Amendment) Act, 2001.

Answer

Option B: 2 only

Answer

Option C: Both 1 and 2

Answer

Option D: Neither 1 nor 2