UPSC Prelims 2021 Q80: Indian Polity – Elections & Electoral Reforms
Consider the following statements:
1. In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election
from three constituencies.
2. In 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lal contested from three Lok Sabha constituencies.
3. As per the existing rules, if a candidate contests in one Lok Sabha election from many
constituencies, his/her party should bear the cost of bye - elections to the constituencies vacated
by him/her in the event of him/her winning in all the constituencies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 1 and 3
- (d) 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
Contesting from several Lok Sabha seats
| Statement | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. No law restricts contesting from three constituencies | Incorrect | Section 33(7) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, added in 1996, limits a candidate to two constituencies |
| 2. Devi Lal contested from three seats in 1991 | Correct | He contested Rohtak (Haryana), Sikar (Rajasthan) and Ferozepur (Punjab), before the 1996 cap |
| 3. The party must bear bye-election costs if the candidate wins all seats | Incorrect | No such rule exists; the Election Commission has only recommended that the candidate pay |
Before and after 1996:
| Period | Seat limit |
|---|---|
| Before 1996 | No limit on the number of seats |
| After 1996 | Two seats at most |
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Since 1996, Section 33(7) of the RPA caps candidates at two constituencies.
- (b) CORRECT. Devi Lal contested Rohtak, Sikar and Ferozepur in 1991, before the cap.
- (c) Incorrect. Both are false: there is a two-seat cap, and no rule makes parties pay for bye-elections.
- (d) Incorrect. The bye-election cost rule is only an Election Commission proposal, not law.
Key point
RPA Section 33(7) (1996): two seats maximum; Devi Lal contested three seats in 1991; the EC has only proposed that candidates pay bye-election costs.
Remember
Two-seat limit since 1996; Devi Lal fought three in 1991.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the 1996 amendment that added the two-seat limit.
- Taking the EC's recommendation on bye-election costs as an existing rule.
- Thinking statement 2 must be false because of today's limit; it describes 1991.
Exam tip
Check the time frame of each statement. A historical fact can be true even if the law later changed.
Sources
- Representation of the People Act, 1951 — Section 33(7)
- Election Commission of India — Proposed Electoral Reforms (2004, 2016)