Aspirant Academy
ENHI

RAS question

Article 326 provides that elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies shall be on the basis of:

Correct answer: (B) Universal adult suffrage (every citizen aged 18 and above).

Article 326 provides that elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies are held on the basis of universal adult suffrage.

  1. (A)

    Only graduates can vote

  2. (B)

    Universal adult suffrage (every citizen aged 18 and above)

  3. (C)

    Only property owners can vote

  4. (D)

    Only taxpayers can vote

Explanation

Article 326 makes adult suffrage the constitutional basis for elections to the House of the People, or Lok Sabha, and to every State Legislative Assembly. In practical terms, this means that every citizen of India who is at least 18 years old on the legally fixed qualifying date is entitled to be registered as a voter, unless disqualified under the Constitution or a law made by the appropriate legislature. The stated disqualification grounds are non-residence, unsoundness of mind, crime, or corrupt or illegal practice. The age threshold now reads 18 years because the Constitution (Sixty-first Amendment) Act, 1988 substituted it for the earlier 21 years, with effect from 28 March 1989.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) Article 326 does not make graduation a condition for voting; it bases the franchise on citizenship, age, and absence of legal disqualification.
  • (C) Property ownership is not a voting requirement under Article 326, which rejects such a restricted franchise in favour of adult suffrage.
  • (D) Article 326 does not limit voting rights to taxpayers; eligible citizens aged 18 and above can be registered unless legally disqualified.

Concept

This tests the constitutional principle of universal adult suffrage under the election provisions of the Constitution. It recurs in RAS because voting rights, electoral rolls, and democratic representation are core governance themes.

Source

Related questions