Q. Consider the following statements:
1. The provision of universal adult franchise of Indian Constitution came into force on November 26, 1949.
2. Since independence, India has followed the system of single member parliamentary and assembly constituencies.
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?
Exp) Option d is the correct answer.
Franchise refers to right to vote of the people to vote and choose their representative. The Indian Constitution adopts universal adult franchise as a basis of elections to the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies. Every citizen who is not less than 18 years of age has a right to vote without any discrimination of caste, race, religion, sex, literacy, wealth and so on. The voting age was reduced to 18 years from 21 years in 1989 by the 61st Constitutional Amendment Act of 1988.
Statement 1 is incorrect: Provisions related to universal adult franchise are incorporated under Article 326 of the Constitution. The first draft electoral roll based on universal franchise was ready just before the enactment of the constitution. The provision of universal adult franchise was finally enacted in the Constitution in 1949 and came into force on January 26, 1950.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Two- Member Constituencies (Abolition) Act, 1961 provided for the abolition of twomember parliamentary and assembly constituencies and for the creation of single- member constituencies in their place.
