UK election process and how it is different from Indian system?

 

The UK General Election took place on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The new Parliament will convene on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, for the election of the Speaker. The State Opening of Parliament and the King's Speech will follow on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The UK employs various voting systems across different elections:

1. First-Past-the-Post (FPTP):

   • Used for: House of Commons, mayoral elections in England, Police and Crime Commissioner elections, and local councils in England and Wales.
   • Process: Voters select their preferred candidate, and the candidate with the most votes wins.

2. Alternative Vote (AV):

   • Used for: Chairs of most committees in the House of Commons, the Lord Speaker, and by-elections for hereditary peers.
   • Process: Voters rank candidates by preference (1, 2, 3, etc.). If no candidate gets over 50% of the first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on second preferences. This continues until a candidate has more votes than the others combined.

3. Supplementary Vote (SV):

   • Previously used for: Mayors in England and Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales (until May 2023).
   • Process: Voters mark a first and second preference. If no candidate exceeds 50% of the first-preference votes, all but the top two candidates are eliminated. Second preferences from the eliminated candidates are then added to the top two's totals to determine the winner.

4. Single Transferable Vote (STV):

   • Used for: Deputy Speakers in the House of Commons, Northern Ireland Assembly elections, and local elections in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
   • Process: Voters rank candidates by preference. Candidates reaching a quota (based on votes cast and seats available) are elected. Surplus votes are transferred to second preferences. The process repeats, eliminating the lowest-ranked candidates and redistributing their votes until all seats are filled.

5. Additional Member System (AMS):

   • Used for: Scottish Parliament, Welsh Parliament, and London Assembly.
   • Process: Voters cast two votes: one for a constituency member (FPTP) and one for a party list (proportional representation). Constituency votes are counted first, and list members are elected based on regional vote shares, adjusting for already elected constituency members to ensure proportional representation.

6. Closed Party List:

   • Previously used for: European Parliament elections in England, Scotland, and Wales (1999-2019).
   • Process: Voters choose a party, not individual candidates. Parties receive seats proportional to their vote share, and the order of candidates is determined by the parties.

Comparison with the Indian Electoral System

India primarily uses the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system for most of its elections, including the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and State Legislative Assemblies. Here's a comparison:

1. Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies (FPTP):

   • Process: Similar to the UK's FPTP, voters select their preferred candidate, and the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins.

2. Rajya Sabha (Council of States):

   • Process: Members are elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies using a Single Transferable Vote (STV) system. This involves ranking candidates by preference, with votes transferred based on preferences to achieve proportional representation.

3. President of India:

   • Process: The President is elected by an electoral college comprising elected members of both Houses of Parliament and elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and Union territories, using a Single Transferable Vote (STV) system.

4. Vice President of India:

   • Process: Elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament, using the Alternative Vote (AV) system.

Key Differences:

• Diversity of Systems: The UK uses a variety of voting systems tailored to different elections, enhancing proportionality and preference-based voting. India predominantly relies on FPTP for direct elections but incorporates STV and AV for specific high offices to ensure broader representation.
• Regional vs. National Representation: The UK's AMS combines regional proportionality with local representation, which India lacks in its direct electoral system.
• Electoral College: India's elections for President and Vice President involve an electoral college, a system not used in the UK.

Both countries aim to balance fair representation with practical governance, but they employ different methods suited to their political structures and historical contexts.