Consider the following statements in respect of election to the President of India: 1. The members nominated to either House of the Parliament or the Legislative Assemblies of States are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College. 2. Higher the number of elective Assembly seats, higher is the value of vote of each MLA of that State. 3. The value of vote of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is greater than that of Kerala. 4. The value of vote of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh because the ratio of total population to total number of elective seats in Puducherry is greater as compared to Arunachal Pradesh. How many of the above statements are correct?
Contents16
- AOnly one
- BOnly two
- CAll three
- DAll four
Show answer
Answer: (A) Only one
Statement 1 is wrong:
Nominated members of Parliament and State Assemblies CANNOT vote in the Presidential election — only elected members can.
Statement 2 is wrong:
The formula for MLA vote value is:
State population ÷ (Total elected MLAs × 1000).
More MLAs means a LOWER vote value (not higher), since MLAs are in the denominator.
Statement 3 is wrong:
Population figures used are from the 1971 Census (not 2011), as per the 84th Amendment — this continues until the first census after 2026.
Statement 4 is correct:
Based on these calculations, the vote values mentioned (e.g., MP-131, Kerala-152, Arunachal-8, Puducherry-16) are accurate.
Only one is correct.
Answer is (a).
Presidential elections use 1971 Census data for calculating MLA vote values until the first census after 2026, as per the 84th Amendment which froze constituency delimitation.
The question tests whether students understand that only elected members (not nominated ones) can vote in Presidential elections, and that more MLAs in a state actually reduces each MLA's vote value due to the mathematical formula.
UPSC is checking if students can apply the vote value formula correctly rather than just memorizing it - population divided by (elected MLAs × 1000) shows why more seats mean lower individual vote values.
Presidential Election Electoral College
Indian Polity Electoral College elected members nominated members
Presidential Election Electoral College: Composition & Eligibility
Only elected members of Parliament and State Assemblies can vote in Presidential election
Nominated members are excluded from the Electoral College
Electoral College ensures proportional representation between Centre and States
Who Can Vote
The Presidential election uses an Electoral College system where only elected representatives participate. This excludes all nominated members, whether in Parliament or State Assemblies.
Electoral College Composition
Level | Who Can Vote | Who Cannot Vote |
|---|---|---|
Parliament | All elected MPs (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha) | 12 nominated Rajya Sabha members |
State Assemblies | All elected MLAs | Nominated MLAs (if any) |
UTs | Elected MLAs of Delhi & Puducherry only | Other UT representatives |
Key Exclusions
Anglo-Indian nominated members in State Assemblies cannot vote
12 nominated Rajya Sabha members (experts in arts, literature, science, social service) are excluded
MLAs of Chandigarh, J&K, Ladakh etc. cannot participate
Trap: Statement 1 incorrectly includes nominated members — only elected members vote
Confusion: Students mix Presidential election (only elected) with Vice-Presidential election (all MPs including nominated)
MLA Vote Value Calculation
Indian Polity value of vote MLA Assembly seats
MLA Vote Value Formula: Population-Based Weightage System
Vote value = State Population ÷ (Total Elected MLAs × 1000)
More MLAs = Lower vote value per MLA (inverse relationship)
Uses 1971 Census data until first census after 2026
Formula Logic
Each MLA's vote value depends on their state's population-to-MLA ratio. States with higher population per MLA get higher vote values, ensuring proportional representation based on population size.
Calculation Steps
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`**Take State Population**
From **1971 Census** (frozen by 84th Amendment)`"]
s2["`**Divide by Total Elected MLAs**
Only elected seats count, not nominated`"]
s3["`**Divide by 1000**
Constitutional scaling factor`"]
s4["`**Round to Nearest Integer**
Final vote value per MLA`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4Sample Vote Values
State | Population (1971) | Elected MLAs | Vote Value per MLA |
|---|---|---|---|
Uttar Pradesh | Highest | 403 | 208 |
Madhya Pradesh | High | 230 | 131 |
Kerala | Medium | 140 | 152 |
Arunachal Pradesh | Low | 60 | 8 |
Puducherry | Low | 30 | 16 |
Trap: Statement 2 claims more Assembly seats = higher vote value — it's the opposite
Trap: Statement 3 says MP > Kerala — but Kerala's vote value (152) > MP's (131)
Common Error: Using 2011 Census instead of 1971 Census for calculations
MP Vote Value Calculation
Indian Polity MP vote value
MP Vote Value: Achieving Centre-State Parity
All MPs have uniform vote value of 708 (as of current calculations)
MP value = Total MLA votes ÷ Total elected MPs
Ensures parity between Centre and States in Presidential election
Parity Principle
The Constitution ensures that total votes of all MPs equals total votes of all MLAs. This prevents either the Centre or States from dominating the Presidential election.
MP Vote Value Calculation
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`**Calculate All MLA Votes**
Sum of (State Population ÷ MLAs ÷ 1000) for all states`"]
s2["`**Count Total Elected MPs**
**543 Lok Sabha + elected Rajya Sabha members**`"]
s3["`**Divide Total MLA Votes by Total MPs**
Ensures Centre-State vote parity`"]
s4["`**Round to Nearest Integer**
Currently **708** per MP`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4Key Features
Same vote value for all MPs regardless of constituency size
12 nominated Rajya Sabha members excluded from count
Vote value changes only when total elected MPs or MLA vote totals change
Census Data Constitutional Provisions
Indian Polity 1971 Census 84th Amendment
84th Amendment: Census Data Freeze Until 2026
1971 Census data used for Presidential election calculations until 2026
84th Amendment (2001) froze population data to incentivize family planning
Next revision only after first census conducted after 2026
Why 1971 Census
The 84th Constitutional Amendment deliberately froze population figures at 1971 levels. This prevents states that controlled population growth from being 'penalized' with reduced representation.
Impact of Census Freeze
Aspect | Current Practice | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
Presidential Election | Uses 1971 population | Maintains existing MLA vote values |
Lok Sabha Seats | Based on 1971 delimitation | No change in state-wise allocation |
Rajya Sabha Seats | Uses 1971 population | Preserves federal balance |
Assembly Seats | Frozen at 1971 levels | States can't lose seats for family planning success |
Future Timeline
2026: Delimitation Commission may be constituted after census
Next census: Will determine new population-based calculations
Vote values: Will change only after constitutional amendment post-2026
Major Trap: Using 2011 Census figures instead of 1971 for any calculation
Confusion: Assuming current population affects vote values — it doesn't until 2026+