Question map
Placing the earliest first, arrange the following countries in the chronological order in which they granted universal adult franchise: 1. USA 2. Sri Lanka 3. Japan 4. India
Explanation
The chronological order of granting universal adult franchise is as follows: The United States (USA) ratified the 19th Amendment in 1920, which prohibited the denial of voting rights based on sex, effectively establishing universal suffrage [3]. Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) introduced universal adult franchise under the Donoughmore Constitution in 1931, a pioneering move for a colonial territory [2]. Japan granted universal suffrage to both men and women in 1945 following World War II (though male suffrage existed since 1925). India adopted universal adult franchise with the commencement of its Constitution in 1950, ensuring every citizen aged 21 (later 18) could vote regardless of caste, sex, or property [1]. Thus, the sequence is USA (1920), Sri Lanka (1931), Japan (1945), and India (1950), corresponding to the order 1, 2, 3, 4.
Sources
- [3] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 4: Salient Features of the Constitution > IfJ I Universal Adult Franchise > p. 32
- [2] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System > Universal Adult Franchise > p. 118
- [1] https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/constitutional-amendments-amendment-19-votes-men-and-women