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Consider the following statements about Indian elections : 1. The Constitution provides that elections to the House of the People and the Legislative Assemblies of States are to be held on the basis of universal adult suffrage. 2. The Constitution stipulates that there will be separate electoral rolls for Parliamentary and State Assembly elections. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct as Article 326 of the Indian Constitution explicitly mandates that elections to the House of the People (Lok Sabha) and the Legislative Assemblies of every State shall be on the basis of adult suffrage [2]. This ensures that every citizen who is not otherwise disqualified is entitled to be registered as a voter. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Constitution does not stipulate separate electoral rolls for Parliamentary and State Assembly elections. Instead, Article 325 provides for one general electoral roll for every territorial constituency [2]. Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the electoral rolls for Assembly constituencies are used for Parliamentary elections, and there is no constitutional requirement for distinct rolls for these two levels of government [3]. The Election Commission maintains these rolls to ensure a unified democratic process across the country .
Sources
- [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 92: World Constitutions > ELECTIONS > p. 705
- [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 5: Preamble of the Constitution > 46('I Indian Polity > p. 46
- [3] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 81: Election Laws > REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE ACT, 1951 > p. 579