Elections, EC, and RPA Act (Prelims PYQs)
Explore Previous Year Questions (PYQs) on Elections, Election Commission, and Representation of the People Act for UPSC Prelims from 1995–2024.
2024 Prelims PYQs
1] How many Delimitation Commissions have been constituted by the Government of India till December 2023? [2024]
a) One
b) Two
c) Three
d) Four
Ans: d) Four
2021 Prelims PYQs
1] Consider the following statements: [2021]
1) In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election from three constituencies.
2) In 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lal contested from three Lok Sabha constituencies.
3) As per the existing rules, if a candidate contests in one Lok Sabha election from many constituencies, his/her party should bear the cost of bye-elections to the constituencies vacated by him/her in the event of him/her winning in all the constituencies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3
d) 2 and 3
Ans: X (The question was dropped by UPSC)
2020 Prelims PYQs
1] Consider the following statements: [2020]
1. According to the Constitution of India, a person who is eligible to vote can be made a minister in a State for six months even if he/she is not a member of the Legislature of that State.
2. According to the Representation of People Act, 1951, a person convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for five years is permanently disqualified from contesting an election even after his release from prison.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: d) Neither 1 nor 2
2017 Prelims PYQs
1] For election to the Lok Sabha, a nomination paper can be filed by: [2017]
a) Anyone residing in India.
b) A resident of the constituency from which the election is to be contested.
c) Any citizen of India whose name appears in the electoral roll of a constituency.
d) Any citizen of India.
Ans: c) Any citizen of India whose name appears in the electoral roll of a constituency.
2] Consider the following statements: [2017]
1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
2. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.
3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 3 only
Ans: d) 3 only
2012 Prelims PYQs
1] With reference to the Delimitation Commission, consider the following statements: [2012]
1. The orders of the Delimitation Commission cannot be challenged in a Court of Law.
2. When the orders of the Delimitation Commission are laid before the Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly, they cannot effect any modifications in the orders.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) Only 1
b) Only 2
c) Both 1 & 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: c) Both 1 & 2
2006-1995 Prelims PYQs
1] Which one among the following commissions was set up in pursuance of a definite provision under an Article of the Constitution of India? [2006]
a) University Grants commission
b) National Human Rights Commission
c) Election Commission
d) Central Vigilance Commission
Ans: c) Election Commission
2] Consider the following tasks: [2004]
1. Superintendence, direction and conduct of free and fair elections.
2. Preparation of electoral rolls for all elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures and the Office of the President and the Vice President.
3. Giving recognition to political parties and allotting election symbols to political parties and individuals contesting the election.
4. Proclamation of final verdict in the case of election disputes.
Which of the above are the functions of the Election Commission of India?
a) 1, 2 and 3
b) 2, 3 and 4
c) 1 and 3
d) 1, 2 and 4
Ans: a) 1, 2 and 3
3] Under which Article of the Indian Constitution did the President make a reference to the Supreme Court to seek the Court’s opinion on the Constitutional validity of the Election Commission’s decision on deferring the Gujarat Assembly elections (in the year 2002)? [2003]
a) Article 142
b) Article 143
c) Article 144
d) Article 145
Ans: b) Article 143
4] Consider the following statements with reference to India: [2002]
1. The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners enjoy equal powers but receive unequal salaries.
2. The Chief Election Commissioner is entitled to the same salary as in provided to a judge of the Supreme Court.
3. The Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court.
4. The term of office of the Election Commissioner is five years from the date he assumes his office or till the day he attains the age of 62 years, whichever is earlier.
Which of these statements are correct?
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 4
d) 2 and 4
Ans: b) 2 and 3
5] In the case of election to the Lok Sabha, the amount of Security deposited for general category candidates and SC/ST category candidates respectively is: [2002]
a) Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,500
b) Rs 10,000 and Rs 2,500
c) Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000
d) Rs 15,000 and Rs 7,500
Ans: c) Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000
6] Consider the following statements regarding the political parties in India: [2001]
I. The Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides for the registration of political parties.
II. Registration of political parties is carried out by the Election Commission.
III. A national level political party is one which is recognised in four or more States.
IV. During the 1999 general elections, there were six National and 48 State level parties recognised by the Election Commission.
Which of these statements are correct?
a) I, II and IV
b) I and II
c) II and IV
d) I, II, III and IV
Ans: d) I, II, III and IV
7] Consider the following statements about the recent amendments to the Election Law by the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 1996: [1999]
I. Any conviction for the offence of insulting the Indian National flag or the Constitution of India shall entail disqualification for contesting elections to Parliament and State Legislatures for six years from the date of conviction.
II. There is an increase in the security deposit which a candidate has to make to contest the election to the Lok Sabha.
III. A candidate cannot now stand for election from more than one Parliamentary constituency.
IV. No election will now be countermanded on the death of a contesting candidate.
Which of the above statements are correct?
a) II and III
b) I, II and IV
c) I and III
d) I, II, III and IV
Ans: b) I, II and IV
8] Assertion (A): The reservation of thirty-three per cent of seats for women in Parliament and State Legislatures does not require Constitutional amendment. [1997]
Reason (R): Political parties contesting elections can allocate thirty-three per cent of seats they contest to women candidates without any Constitutional amendment.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?
a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
c) A is true, but R is false
d) A is false, but R is true
Ans: d) A is false, but R is true
9] State Funding of elections takes place in: [1997]
a) USA and Canada
b) Britain and Switzerland
c) France and Italy
d) Germany and Austria
Ans: d) Germany and Austria
10] The Dinesh Goswami Committee recommended: [1997]
a) The constitution of state level election commissions
b) List System of election to the Lok Sabha
c) Governmental funding of parliamentary elections
d) A ban on the candidature of independent candidates in the parliamentary elections
Ans: c) Governmental funding of parliamentary elections
11] Which one of the following is correct In respect of the commencement of the election process in India? [1995]
a) The recommendation for election is made by the government and the notification for election is issued by the Election Commission
b) The recommendation for election is made by the Election Commission and the notification for election is issued by the Home Ministry at the Centre and Home Departments in the States
c) The recommendation for election is made by the Election Commission and the notification for election is issued by the President and Governors of the States concerned
d) Both the exercises of making a recommendation for election and that of issuing a notification in respect of it are done by the Election Commission
Ans: c) The recommendation for election is made by the Election Commission and the notification for election is issued by the President and Governors of the States concerned
12] Which of the following political parties is/are national political parties? [1995]
I. Muslim League
II. Revolutionary Socialist Party
III. All India Forward Block
IV. Peasants and Workers Party of India
Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:
a) I, II and III
b) II and IV
c) III only
d) None of the above
Ans: d) None of the above
PYQ Analysis for Elections, Election Commission, and RPA Act (UPSC Prelims 1995–2024)
The Previous Year Questions (PYQs) on Elections, Election Commission (EC), and Representation of the People Act (RPA) for UPSC Prelims from 1995 to 2024 highlight critical aspects of India’s electoral framework. This analysis identifies trends and offers preparation strategies for aspirants.
Key Trends and Observations
1. Frequency of Questions: The topic of Elections, EC, and RPA Act is a staple in UPSC Prelims, with 18 questions spanning 1995–2024. Questions appear consistently, though frequency varies (e.g., two in 2017, one in 2024). Gaps exist in some years (e.g., 2018–2019), indicating selective focus.
2. Sub-Themes Covered: The PYQs cover several key areas:
- Election Commission (EC): Questions test the constitutional basis (Article 324, 2006), powers (2004, 2017), structure (2017, 2002), and processes like election notifications (1995) and advisory roles (Article 143, 2003).
- Representation of the People Act (RPA): Focus on provisions like candidate disqualifications (1999, 2020), registration of political parties (2001), and security deposits (2002).
- Delimitation Commission: Questions on its role and legal status (2012, 2024) emphasize boundary adjustments and their non-challengeable nature.
- Electoral Reforms: The Dinesh Goswami Committee (1997) and amendments to election laws (1999) highlight reform efforts like state funding and candidacy rules.
- Political Parties: Recognition criteria (2001) and national vs. state party status (1995) are recurring themes.
- Other Topics: Questions on women’s reservation (1997), state funding in other countries (1997), and candidate eligibility (2017, 2021) reflect broader electoral issues.
3. Question Types: The PYQs include:
- Statement-Based: Evaluating the correctness of multiple statements (2001, 2002, 2017, 2020, 2021).
- Direct Factual: Testing specific knowledge, e.g., security deposits (2002), constitutional articles (2003, 2006), or delimitation rules (2012, 2024).
- Assertion-Reason: Analytical questions like women’s reservation (1997).
- Multiple-Choice with Codes: Matching or selecting correct combinations (1995, 1999, 2001).
4. Difficulty Level: Questions range from moderate to difficult. Factual questions (e.g., 2002, 2017) require precise recall, while statement-based questions (2020, 2021) demand conceptual clarity. The dropped question in 2021 indicates occasional ambiguity in UPSC framing.
5. Recent Trends (2017–2024): Recent years show fewer questions (one each in 2020, 2021, 2024), with a focus on delimitation (2024) and RPA provisions (2020, 2021). This suggests a shift toward specific legal and procedural aspects.
Preparation Tips for Elections, EC, and RPA Act
1. Master Constitutional Provisions: Focus on Article 324 (EC), Article 143 (advisory jurisdiction), and RPA 1950–51 provisions for candidacy, disqualifications, and party registration.
2. Study Key Institutions: Understand the EC’s structure, powers, and role in disputes (e.g., party splits/mergers). Review the Delimitation Commission’s functions and legal status.
3. Use Standard Sources: Refer to M. Laxmikanth’s Indian Polity, NCERT’s Democratic Politics, and EC’s official website for updates on electoral processes.
4. Practice PYQs: Solve PYQs to identify patterns, especially in statement-based and factual questions. Use resources like Arihant or Vision IAS compilations.
5. Mock Tests: Attempt our UPSC Prelims Mock Test to improve accuracy and time management.
Why Elections, EC, and RPA Act Matter
This topic is crucial for UPSC Prelims due to its overlap with Indian Polity and current affairs. Understanding electoral laws and institutions enhances performance in both Prelims and Mains, particularly in governance-related questions.
Download Resources
Access our curated Elections, EC, and RPA Act PYQ PDF for offline practice and comprehensive revision.
Boost Your UPSC Prelims Preparation
Test your knowledge with our UPSC Prelims Mock Test and take your preparation to the next level!
.jpg)
