Indian Elections Special

In May 2014, we had invited guest questions for a special on India's General Elections - but thanks to a combination of work and laziness, we never finished putting that together, until today - apologies to all those who sent questions in and thought they had made a donation to a black hole.

Questions by Vaibhav Bajpai (who sent in several excellent questions - here are a selection)

1. In 1982, mid-term Assembly elections were held in Kerela due to the fall of the LDF (Left Democratic Front) led state government. Among the 140 seats, CPI’s Sivan Pillai won the seat from Parur assembly constituency defeating A.C Jose, a Congress(A) candidate by a slender margin of 123 votes only. The legitimacy of Sivan Pillai’s win was challenged in the Supreme Court citing violation of an electoral process across 50 polling booths.

What was alleged as a violation of electoral process in 1982 Kerela Assembly Elections?
2. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made a characteristic debut during the 2014 General Elections by offering a political alternative to the traditional parties within Indian Politics. Another such alternative also made a silent debut that gave a reasonable fight to the candidates, garnering 1.1% of the total votes polled (~60 Lakh votes) and achieving an impactful 3rd place across multiple seats ahead of many established parties like the JD(U), CPI, JD(S), SAD etc.

Which other political alternative made an impactful debut along side AAP during the 2014 General Elections?

What product has a sole proprietary of manufacturing by this company?

3. Phulpur in UP’s Allahabad district was brought out of anonymity once again during the 2014 elections when celebrity and Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif contested for the Congress party. The constituency carries a special place election history for its association with two Prime Ministers of India. For one, thrice electing India’s first Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru.

Who was the second Prime Minister of India other than Pt. Nehru that once got elected from Phulpur?

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Question by Anshul Q Inc.

4. Free India had its first election for Lok Sabha in 1951, which the grand old party Congress, won with a thumping majority.In these elections the total no. of elected MPs were 489, while the no. of constituencies was only 400.The story was similar in the second General Elections of 1957.But this changed in the third election onwards.

What reason can you think of for such inequality of seats and constituencies?

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Question by Atharva Kelkar

5. Some of the countries that this firm exports to are Cambodia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Togo, Sierra Leone among many others.

Established in 1937 and renamed in 1989, this came in the news during the 2014 Genera Elections due to something controversial said by Shri Sharad Pawar. Which firm are we talking about? What was said?

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Question by Srikant Nair

6. This north-eastern state had 2 Lok Sabha constituencies in the 2014 General Elections, which could be said to be "inception constituencies". Which constituencies and in which state?

[+ Show Answers]

1. The use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). They were used for the very first time during Kerala Assembly elections in 1982 on a trial basis and there was no provision in the electoral law for use of them. More here.

2. NOTA Option or None Of The Above was introduced by the Election Commission during the 2014 General Elections. More here.

3. Vishwanath Pratap Singh (V.P Singh) was the other Prime Minister of India who once got elected from Phulpur constituency in 1971. More here.

4. For the first two General elections there were constituencies which had two or three MPs representing them.The provision was one General and one SC/ST MP for a 2 MP seat and one General and one ST and SC each for a 3 MP seat. This provision was abolished when in the third general election reservation of seats for SC and ST began.

5. Mysore Paints and Varnishes Limited, who make the indelible ink. Pawar said (supposedly a joke): "Do erase the ink mark which will be put when you vote first" telling voters to erase the ink before voting twice (in Satara and Mumbai).

6. The state is Manipur. The constituencies are Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur.