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Under which of the following conditions security deposits of a candidate contesting for a Lok Sabha seat is returned to him/her? I. The nomination made by the candidate if found to be invalid. II. The candidate has withdrawn his/her nomination even through it is found valid. III. The candidate lost the polls but secured 1 /6th of the total number of valid votes polled in that election. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
Under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the security deposit of a candidate is returned under several specific conditions. First, if the candidate's nomination is found to be invalid or is rejected during scrutiny, the deposit is refunded [t1][t2]. Second, if a candidate withdraws their nomination within the prescribed time limit, even if the nomination was valid, the deposit is returned [t2]. Third, for candidates who contest the election but lose, the deposit is refunded only if they secure more than one-sixth (1/6th) of the total valid votes polled in the constituency [c1][c3][t1][t3]. If a candidate fails to reach this 1/6th threshold, the deposit is forfeited to the government to discourage non-serious candidates [c5][t4]. Since all three conditions listed in the question (invalid nomination, withdrawal of valid nomination, and securing 1/6th of valid votes) qualify for a refund, the correct answer is I, II, and III.
Sources
- [1] https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/2096/9/A1951-43.pdf
- [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 18: President > Qualifications for Election as President > p. 189
- [3] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 18: President > Qualifications for Election as President > p. 189
- [4] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 82: Electoral Reforms > ELECTORAL REFORMS SINCE 2010 > p. 587
- [5] https://www.business-standard.com/about/what-is-losing-deposit-in-election