CBSE Class 11 · Election and Representation

FPTP, Proportional Representation and Single Transferable Vote (Class 11 Political Science, Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 3)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Under First Past the Post (FPTP) the candidate with more votes than any other wins in each single-member constituency, even without a majority; under Proportional Representation (PR) each party gets seats in proportion to its votes. India chose FPTP for simplicity, clear choice, local accountability, stable government and social cohesion, and uses the single transferable vote (STV) for the Rajya Sabha.

Notice how FPTP turned Congress's 48% of votes into 76% of seats, while the BJP's 7.4% of votes gave it almost no seats.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote

Why this topic matters. FPTP-PR comparison, the 1984 example, the STV quota sum and the reasons for choosing FPTP are favourite long-answer and numerical items.

1. Elections and democracy. Direct democracy (Greek city-states, gram sabhas) is impractical for lakhs and crores of people, so rule by the people means rule by representatives. Not every election is democratic: non-democratic rulers also hold elections. The Constitution answers five questions: who may vote, who may contest, who supervises elections, how voters choose and how votes are counted.

2. FPTP. The country is divided into 543 constituencies, each electing one representative; the candidate with more votes than any other wins, and need not secure a majority. Also called the plurality system. In the 1984 Lok Sabha election the Congress won 415 of 543 seats with 48 per cent of the votes, while the BJP got 7.4 per cent of votes and only 2 seats; Telugu Desam won 30 seats with 4.1 per cent. Votes for losing candidates are 'wasted', and concentrated support wins seats while scattered support does not.

3. Proportional Representation. Each party gets the same proportion of seats as its proportion of votes. Two variations: the whole country as one constituency (Israel, the Netherlands) or multi-member constituencies (Argentina, Portugal); voters choose a party, not a candidate. In Israel a party needs at least 3.25 per cent of votes to win seats; in 2015 Likud got 23.40 per cent of votes and 30 of 120 seats. PR often leads to multi-party coalitions. In India, PR variants are used for indirect elections: President, Vice President, Rajya Sabha and Vidhan Parishads.

4. Comparison. FPTP: small single-member units, one representative, vote for a candidate, a party may get more or fewer seats than its vote share, winner need not get a majority (UK, India). PR: large areas or the whole country, more than one representative, vote for a party, seats in proportion to votes (Israel, Netherlands).

5. STV in the Rajya Sabha. MLAs are the voters and rank candidates. A candidate needs a quota: quota = total votes polled / (number of candidates to be elected + 1) + 1. Example: 200 MLAs electing 4 members: 200 / 5 = 40, plus 1 = 41 votes. If too few candidates reach the quota, the candidate with the fewest first preferences is eliminated and the ballots pass to the next preferences.

6. Why India chose FPTP. Simplicity; clear choice; local accountability (voters know their representative); stable government (the largest party usually gets bonus seats, giving the majority a parliamentary system needs); social cohesion (it encourages different groups to come together to win a seat). It has helped larger parties win majorities and discouraged parties based on only one caste or community. India's experience differs from the two-party norm: one-party dominance at first, then multi-party coalitions after 1989.

First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote: key facts

FPTP: 543 single-member constituencies
Plurality of votes wins
No majority needed
UK, India; Winner takes the seat.
PR: Seats in proportion to votes
Vote for a party
Israel threshold 3.25 per cent
Whole country or multi-member constituencies; Small parties represented.
STV quota: Quota = total votes / (seats + 1) + 1 | 200 MLAs, 4 seats: 200 / 5 + 1 = 41; Rajya Sabha.
1984 Lok Sabha: Congress 48 per cent votes, 415 seats
BJP 7.4 per cent, 2 seats
Telugu Desam 4.1 per cent, 30 seats; Votes and seats diverge.

Congress	48 per cent votes, 415 seats
BJP	7.4 per cent, 2 seats
Telugu Desam	4.1 per cent, 30 seats

How to answer First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote questions

Votes-to-seats questions compare share of votes with share of seats.

1Compute the percentage of seats (seats / 543 x 100).
2Compare with the vote percentage.
3If seats share is far from the vote share, explain wasted votes and concentration.
4State the PR alternative: seats proportional to votes.

First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Class monitor election

Suppose five students contest for monitor and the winner gets 28 of 100 votes while the others get 24, 20, 16 and 12.

Is this FPTP or a majority win?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The winner has more votes than any other candidate but not more than half.
This is how FPTP works: no majority needed.

Answer: FPTP; the winner has a plurality, not a majority.

Memory hook: Most votes wins.

Seats by lists

Suppose a country gives each party the same share of seats as votes, and voters choose a party list rather than a person.

Which system is this?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Seats follow votes.
Voters choose a party.

Answer: Proportional Representation.

Memory hook: Seats equal votes.

Tricks to remember First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Plurality wins
Most votes wins in FPTP, even below 50 per cent
Use it when: FPTP.
Quota formula
Total divided by seats plus one, then plus one
Use it when: STV.
SCLSS
Simplicity, Clear choice, Local accountability, Stability, Social cohesion
Use it when: Reasons for FPTP.

First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: FPTP definition · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

Under the First Past the Post system, the winning candidate is the one who:
(A) gets more than 50 per cent of the votes
(B) gets more votes than any other candidate
(C) gets the support of all parties
(D) is elected by the legislature

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The candidate with a plurality wins (1 mark).

Answer: (B)

Example 2: STV quota · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

Find the quota for electing 3 Rajya Sabha members from a State where 240 MLAs vote. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Quota = 240 / (3 + 1) + 1 (1 mark).
= 60 + 1 = 61 votes (1 mark).

Answer: Quota = 240 / (3 + 1) + 1 = 60 + 1 = 61 votes.

Example 3: 1984 anomaly · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Suppose a party gets the largest share of votes in every constituency even though that share is only about one-fourth of the votes, and every rival gets less. What result will FPTP give, and why does this show a weakness of the system? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Under FPTP each seat goes to the candidate with the most votes (1 mark).
That party would win every seat with only about one-fourth of the votes (1 mark).
Votes for all other candidates are wasted, so seats and votes diverge widely (1 mark).

Answer: Under FPTP each seat goes to the candidate with the most votes, so the party with the largest share in every constituency would win all seats with only about one-fourth of the votes. All votes for other candidates are wasted, which shows that seats can be far from vote share.

Example 4: Assertion and reason: stability · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

Assertion (A): FPTP often helps the formation of stable governments in a parliamentary system.
Reason (R): The largest party usually gets bonus seats, helping it to a majority.
(A) Both true, R explains A
(B) Both true, R does not explain A
(C) A true, R false
(D) A false, R true

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Bonus seats for the largest party give the majority the executive needs (1 mark).

Answer: (A)

Example 5: HOTS: what PR would have given · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

In 1984 the Congress had 48 per cent of the votes, the BJP 7.4 per cent and Telugu Desam 4.1 per cent. Using 543 seats, compute the seats each would get under pure PR (nearest whole number), compare with the actual 415, 2 and 30, and evaluate whether PR would have been fairer and what India's reasons were for rejecting it. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Congress: 48 / 100 x 543 = 260.6, about 261 seats (1 mark).
BJP: 7.4 / 100 x 543 = 40.2, about 40 seats (1 mark).
Telugu Desam: 4.1 / 100 x 543 = 22.3, about 22 seats (1 mark).
Under FPTP the Congress had 154 more seats than PR, the BJP 38 fewer (1 mark).
PR is more proportional, but India chose FPTP for simplicity, accountability, stability and cohesion (1 mark).

Answer: Under pure PR, the Congress would get 0.48 x 543 = about 261 seats, the BJP 0.074 x 543 = about 40 and Telugu Desam 0.041 x 543 = about 22, against the actual 415, 2 and 30. FPTP gave the Congress about 154 seats more than its share and the BJP about 38 fewer, so PR would have been closer to vote shares. India nevertheless chose FPTP for its simplicity, clear choice, local accountability, stable majorities and social cohesion, so fairness to parties is only one criterion. (Vote shares are rounded figures from the chapter.)

Where students lose marks in First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Saying FPTP needs a majority
Confusing plurality with majority.
Wrong working
The winner must get 50 per cent plus.
Right working
The winner need only get more votes than any other candidate.
Do this: Write "plurality".
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Using the quota formula without plus one
Formula slip.
Wrong working
Quota = 200 / 5.
Right working
Quota = 200 / (4 + 1) + 1 = 41.
Do this: Add 1 at the end.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Saying voters choose a candidate in PR
FPTP idea carried over.
Wrong working
In PR people vote for a candidate.
Right working
In PR voters choose a party.
Do this: Link PR with party list.
Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

Use a table with rows for constituency, representatives, vote for, seats and winner.
Show the STV quota sum with formula and substitution.
Give both advantages and limits of FPTP.

Practice questions on First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
Which country is given in the chapter as an example of PR with the whole country as one constituency?
(A) United Kingdom
(B) Israel
(C) India
(D) Argentina
Hint
Knesset.
Answer
(B)
Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level
State two differences between FPTP and PR. (2 marks)
Hint
Vote and seats.
Answer
In FPTP voters choose a candidate in single-member constituencies and the winner need not get a majority; in PR voters choose a party in larger constituencies and seats are in proportion to votes.
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Explain two reasons why India adopted FPTP. (3 marks)
Hint
Accountability, stability.
Answer
FPTP is simple and clear for voters with little knowledge of politics, and it gives local accountability because voters elect a specific representative they can hold responsible. It also tends to give stable governments, as the largest party usually gets bonus seats and a majority.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Describe the counting under STV for a Rajya Sabha seat when no candidate reaches the quota. (3 marks)
Hint
Elimination, transfer.
Answer
First-preference votes are counted. If not enough candidates reach the quota, the candidate with the fewest first preferences is eliminated, and his or her ballots are transferred to the second preferences marked on them. This continues until the required number of candidates have reached the quota.
Q5 · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
A party wins 28 per cent of votes in every one of 100 constituencies while four others win 24, 20, 16 and 12 per cent in various orders. Show how FPTP could give it every seat in theory, compute its seat share under PR with 100 seats, and state what this shows about votes and seats. (4 marks)
Hint
Plurality.
Answer
If the 28 per cent exceeds each rival's share in every constituency it wins all 100 seats under FPTP, although it has only 28 per cent of the votes. Under PR it would get 28 per cent of 100 = 28 seats. So FPTP can produce a large gap between votes and seats, since votes for losing candidates are wasted.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.How many Lok Sabha constituencies?Show answer
543.
2.Who uses STV?Show answer
Rajya Sabha elections by MLAs.
3.Threshold in Israel?Show answer
3.25 per cent.
4.What is plurality?Show answer
Most votes, not necessarily a majority.

First Past the Post, Proportional Representation and the Single Transferable Vote: frequently asked questions

Does FPTP always give two parties?

Normally yes, but India's experience differs with coalitions after 1989.

Why is PR used for the President?

The chapter lists it as a variant for indirect elections.

What is wasted vote?

A vote for a losing candidate.