Consider the following statements :
- 1.In the election for Lok Sabha or State Assembly, the winning candidate must get at least 50 percent of the votes polled, to be declared elected.
- 2.According to the provisions laid down in the Constitution of India, in Lok Sabha, the Speaker’s post goes to the majority party and the Deputy Speaker’s to the Opposition.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Show answer
Answer: D. Statement 1 is wrong: India uses the first-past-the-post system, so the candidate with the most votes wins, even if that is well below 50 percent. Statement 2 is wrong: the Constitution (Article 93) only says the Lok Sabha shall choose a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker from among its members. Giving the Deputy Speaker's post to the Opposition is a convention followed at times, not a constitutional rule. So neither is correct.
Watch for: Watch for the Deputy Speaker convention being passed off as a constitutional provision.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because a simple plurality, not 50 percent, is enough to win.
- B. Wrong because the Constitution does not reserve either post for any party.
- C. Wrong because both statements are false.
Source to check: NCERT Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 3 'Election and Representation'; Constitution of India, Article 93
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.