REPRESENTATION

MEANING OF REPRESENTATION
Democracy

has two patterns- direct and

indiract.
In direct democracy-the will of the state is
formulated and expressed by the people
themselves.
The modern democracy is a indirect and
representatives. The voters elect their
representatives and they become
members of the legislative assemblies.

Origin of representation
Originated

in the Middle ages as a device

used by certain monastic orders and was
applied to bodies called by the king for
consultation.
Under various namesParliament in Britain
Estates General in France
Cortes in Spain
diet in Germany

Types of representation
Territorial

Representation
Functional Representation
Proportional Representation
Minority Representation

Territorial Representation
This is the most popular method of electing
representatives in most of the democratic
countries. In this system all eligible voters living
in a specified area vote to elect their
representative. The total electorate of the
country, irrespective of their profession or group
is divided into territorial constituencies, which
elect one or more representatives. The entire
population is devided into constituencies with
more or less equal number of voters.

Functional Representation
Functional representation means that representatives are
elected by various professional and functional groups like
industrial workers, trading functionaries, medical practitioners,
lawyers, teachers, transporters, etc. According to this method
separate constituencies are set up for people belonging to
specific group. For example, there may be a constituency of
teachers who elect their representative. The electorate is
professionally or functionally categorized and each of
professional categories is called upon to elect one or more
representatives, irrespective of their place of residence in the
country. Unlike the territorial representation the electorate is
not divided on the basis of territorial constituencies but on the
basis of their profession. It is a scheme of representation to
various occupational groups.

Proportional Representation
The system of proportional representation is an
electoral device to ensure representation of all sections
of the people more or less in proportion to their voting
strength. Under this system any group, whether it is a
political party or interest group will secure
representation in proportion to the popular votes it
obtains.
J.S. Mill was an ardent advocate of proportional
representation. He said, In any really equal
democracy every or any section would be represented
not disproportionately, but proportionately. A majority of
the electors would always have a majority of
representatives; but a minority of electors would
always have a minority of representatives.

Proportional Representation
This system ensures that the number of seats a political party
gets in the legislature should be in proportion to the support of
the popular votes. Sometimes in the simple majority system it
is seen that a party gets more seats in the legislature even
though it receives less percentage of votes or a candidate with
even less than 50 percent of votes is declared elected. For
instance, in India, in 1971 Lok Sabha elections, Congress
polled only 46 percent votes yet it managed 351 seats out of
522. That is, even with less than 50 percent votes, Congress
won 68 percent of the seats in the Lok Sabha. This limitation
of the first-past-the-post system may be removed through
proportional representation system. There are two methods by
which proportional representation is secured.

Proportional Representation
1. The Single Transferable Vote System It is also called the Hare system
or the Andrae Scheme. According to the single transferable vote system
each voter can cast only one vote which can be transferred to other
candidates, if necessary, according to the preference of the voter.
Therefore, this system is also called the preferential system.
This system works under following conditions:
(a) Every constituency should be a multi-member constituency, electing
three or more members.
(b) A voter has only single effective vote which may be cast in order of
preference first, second, third or as many preferences as there are
candidates. The voter writes 1, 2, 3 and so on against the names of the
candidates of his choice.
(c) But the voter cannot cast all his preferences in favour of only one
candidate.
(d) In order to be elected, a candidate must secure a certain quota of votes.
The quota is determined by dividing the total votes cast by the number
of seats in the constituency.

For instance, if the number of seats in a constituency is 3

and total number of votes cast is 20,000. The quota will be
The counting of votes begins with the first preference votes.
A candidate securing the prescribed quota on the basis of
the first preference votes is declared elected, and his
surplus votes, if any, are transferred to the candidates
having second preference indicated on the ballot papers
and so on. If one or more seats are left vacant because
some candidates do not secure the required quota, the
candidates getting least number of votes are eliminated and
their votes are transferred according to the preferences of
the voters. This system has been adopted in India for the
election of the members of the Rajya Sabha and State
Legislative Councils. This method is also followed for the
election of President of India.

Proportional Representation
2. List System
This is another method of proportional representation. Under this system,
large multimember constituencies are formed and many candidates are
elected from each constituency. Each political party submits a list of its
candidates for election from a particular constituency. A voter votes not to
individuals but to the lists of candidates of different political parties. These
votes are indivisible. If 4 representatives are to be elected from
theconstituency, the voter has no option to cast 2 votes on one list and 2
on the other list. The Democracy at Work voter has to select all the four
candidates from either of the list. A quota is determined, and the
candidates are declared elected according to the quota of votes secured
by policital parties. A party entitled to three seats, according to the quota
will declare the first three candidates on its list elected. There are two
forms of list system the bound list and the free list. In bound list a
voter has no choice except to endorse or reject the entire list of candidates
prepared by a political party. But, in a free list, the voter while selecting the
list can give his or her own order of preferences for the candidates. List
system is followed for elections in Switzerland.

MINORITY REPRESENTATION

Cumulative Vote System: According to this system a voter has as

many votes as the number of seats in the constituency. The voters has
options. He or she can cast vote for all the candidates or concentrate all his
or her votes for just one candidate. For example, if 5 members are to be
elected, the voter may give his or her vote to only one candidate or
distribute it among a few or all candidates. This system, therefore, may
provide an opportunity to a well organised minority to elect its
representative by cumulating all its votes in favour of its own candidate.

Limited Vote Plan: This system is adopted in a multi-member

constituency from where a minimum of 3 candidates are to be elected.

Under this system every voter can vote for more than one candidate, but he
or she cannot vote for all the candidates. That is why, it is known as the
limited vote system. For example, if there are 6 seats in a constituency,
every voter will have right to vote only for 4 candidates. The voter has to
vote for different candidates of his or her choice, but he or she cannot vote
for more than 4 candidates.