Multi-Member Constituencies in India: Background and Discontinuation

Context
The multi-member constituency system in India was phased out after the 1957 elections.

What are Multi-Member Constituencies?
These constituencies allow for the election of multiple representatives from a single electoral district.

Purpose
After independence, multi-member constituencies were introduced to increase the representation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Parliament.

Structure and Functioning
In these constituencies, seats were designated for SCs and STs based on population demographics in certain areas. Candidates from both reserved (SC/ST) and general categories could contest these seats.

Voting Process
Voters were allocated multiple votes corresponding to the number of seats available in a constituency.

Example
In a two-member constituency with a significant SC population, voters could cast two votes. Each party could nominate both a general and an SC candidate, and the election followed the first-past-the-post principle, where the two highest-vote candidates won seats in the Lok Sabha.

Implementation
The system was first applied in the 1951-52 general election. Of the 489 Lok Sabha seats, 72 were reserved for SCs, with 71 being two-member constituencies. Additionally, 26 seats were designated for STs, of which 15 were two-member constituencies. North Bengal even had a unique three-member constituency for one general, one SC, and one ST candidate.

Challenges and Reasons for Discontinuation

1. Unexpected Results
   The 1957 election saw SC and ST candidates winning constituencies previously dominated by general category candidates, causing discontent among those who felt excluded.
2. Dominance by Specific Communities
   Certain constituencies, like Parvathipuram in Andhra Pradesh, saw both seats won by ST candidates, raising concerns among general category candidates about perceived disadvantages.
3. Legal Challenges
   Candidates like Congress’s V.V. Giri contested their losses in multi-member constituencies, claiming that reserved category candidates had an unfair advantage.
4. Supreme Court Ruling
   The Court upheld that ST candidates could contest both general and reserved seats within multi-member constituencies, adding complexity to the system.

Abolition of the Multi-Member System
To address these issues, the government enacted the Two-Member Constituencies (Abolition) Act in 1961, which aimed for a more balanced representation by discontinuing multi-member constituencies.

Takeaways from the Multi-Member Constituency Experience
The system underscored the difficulty of ensuring fair representation for marginalized groups while maintaining functional electoral processes. The upcoming Census and discussions on delimitation bring renewed attention to issues of equitable representation, especially amid concerns from southern states regarding potential reductions in parliamentary seats.