I. Description of the system of Proportional Representation:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Example: 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. 

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.

Quota = Total number of votes polled / Total 

number of seats in the constituency / + 1

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

20,000 / 3+1 / +1 =5001

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.

2. List System:

(a) This is another method of proportional representation. Under this system, large multi member 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.

(b) 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 the constituency, the voter has no option to cast 2 votes on one list and 2 on the other list. The voter has to select all the four candidates from either of the list.

(c) A quota is determined, and the candidates are declared elected according to the quota of votes secured by political parties. A party entitled to three seats, according to the quota, will declare the first three candidates on its list elected.

(d) 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.