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XV of the Constitution
deals with the electoral

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Parliament to make
provisions in all matters
relating to elections to the Parliament and State
Legislatures. In exercise of this power, the Parliament has
enacted laws like Representation of the People Act 1950
(RPA Act 1950), Representation of the People Act 1951
(RPA Act 1951) and Delimitation Commission Act of 1952.
In this article, let us focus on the salient features of the
Representation of Peoples Act : RPA Act 1950 and RPA Act
1951.

Representation of Peoples Act 1950 (RPA Act

1950)
Representation of Peoples Act 1950 (RPA Act 1950)
provides for the following :
1. Qualification of voters.
2. Preparation of electoral rolls.
3. Delimitation of constituencies.

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4. Allocation of seats in the Parliament and state

legislatures.
RPA Act 1950 Parts and Schedules

Part I : Preliminary
Part II : Allocation Of Seats And Delimitation Of
Constituencies
Part IIA : Officers
Part IIB : Electoral Rolls For Parliamentary
Constituencies
Part III : Electoral Rolls For Assembly Constituencies
Part IV Electoral Rolls For Council Constituencies
Part V General
The First Schedule Allocation of seats in the House of
the People
The Second Schedule Total number of seats in the
Legislative Assemblies
The Third Schedule Allocation of seats in the Legislative
Councils
The Fourth Schedule Local authorities for purposes of
elections to Legislative Councils
The Fifth Schedule [Repealed by the Government of
Union Territories Act, 1963]
The Sixth Schedule [Repealed by the Representation of
the People (Amendment) Act, 1956]
The Seventh Schedule [Repealed by the Representation
of the People (Amendment) Act]

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Representation of Peoples Act 1951 is an act enacted by

the Indian provincial parliament before first general
elections. The Peoples Representation act provides for the
actual conduct of elections in India. The act also deals with
details like qualification and disqualification of members of

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both houses of Parliament (ie Loksabha and Rajyasabha)

and the state legislatures (ie. State Legislative Assembly
and State Legislative Council). Rules for the mode of

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conduct of elections is highlighted in detail.

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Highlights of RPA Act 1951

+ 214

1. Actual conduct of elections.

2. Administrative machinery for conducting elections.

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BUY MOTO G

3. Poll.

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amended many times, the major amendment being made

PRELI MS +

MAI NS

in 1966.

MAI NS

SPECI AL!

4. Election offences.
5. Election disputes.
6. By-elections.
7. Registration of political parties.
The act is of special significance to the smooth functioning
of Indian democracy, as it checks the entry of persons with
criminal background into the representative
bodies. Representation of Peoples Act 1951 was

[Salient features of the Representation of Peoples Act:

1. Essay

Specifically mentioned in Civil Service Mains GS Paper 2;

Paper

can also be asked for Prelims and Interview]

2. GS 1
Paper

Salient features of the Representation of

3. GS 2

Peoples Act

Paper

Part 21 of the the Indian Constitution drafted by the

4. GS 3

Constituent Assembly had mentioned for a provisional

Paper

parliament. The provisional parliament

enacted Representation of Peoples Act 1951, so that

5. GS 4

general elections could be conducted according to the

Paper

rules mentioned.
Citation is Article No 43 of 1951.
Representation of Peoples Act contains 13 parts (2
parts added as amendments). Each part is divided into

I AS STUDY
MATERI ALS: PRELI MS CUM

different sections making it a total of 171 numbered

MAI NS

sections (including those sections which were repealed

History Notes - Indian History and

later.).
The details of the parts in Representation of People
Act 1951 are as below:

Culture.
Geography Notes - Indian and
World Geography.

1. PART I : PRELIMINARY.
2. PART II : QUALIFICATIONS AND
DISQUALIFICATIONS.
3. PART III : NOTIFICATION OF GENERAL ELECTIONS.
4. PART IV : ADMINISTRATIVE MACHINERY FOR THE
CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS.
5. PART IV A : REGISTRATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES.
6. PART V : CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS.
7. PART VA : FREE SUPPLY OF CERTAIN MATERIAL TO
CANDIDATES OF RECOGNISED POLITICAL PARTIES.
8. PART VI : DISPUTES REGARDING ELECTIONS.

Economics Notes - Indian Economy.

Indian Polity Notes - Constitution,
Social Justice etc.
General Science Notes - Science and
Technology.
Environment Notes - Biodiversity,
Climate Change etc.
Current Affairs Notes - National and
international.

9. PART VII : CORRUPT PRACTICES AND ELECTORAL

OFFENCES.
10. PART VIII : DISQUALIFICATIONS.
11. PART IX : BYE-ELECTIONS.

IAS Study Materials for

Mains (Extra Topics)

12. PART X : MISCELLANEOUS.

13. PART XI : GENERAL.

World History Notes - GS paper 1.

Indian Society Notes - GS paper 1.

Expressions not used in 1951 act, but listed in

Foreign Relations Notes - GS paper

Representation of the People Act 1950 (43 of 1950)

2.

shall have the same meaning.

International Affairs Notes - GS

Chief Electoral Officer is mentioned in section 13A.

Corrupt practices are mentioned in section 123.
Election means an election to fill a seat or seats in
either House of Parliament or in the House or either

paper 2.
Security and Disaster Management
Notes - GS paper 3.

House of the Legislature of a State other than the State

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

of Jammu and Kashmir.

Notes - GS paper 4.

Download Representation of Peoples Act in PDF

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The act, since is

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pivotal in

Negative Matter

preventing
criminals being

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elected as

of Nature

representatives, is
always quoted by
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Particles Which Make The
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News: July 10, 2013: Supreme Court struck down Section

8(4) of the Representation of Peoples (RP) Act

Details: A two-judge Supreme Court bench on July 10

struck down Section 8(4) of the Representation of Peoples

FOLLOW US!

(RP) Act. Section 8(4) had provisions for convicted

lawmakers to hold on to their seats provided they filed an
appeal within three months of their conviction.
What is Section 8 of Representation of Peoples Act
1951 : Section 8 deals with Disqualification of
representatives on conviction for certain offences. This
section states that :
1 - A person convicted of an offence punishable under
certain acts of Indian Penal Code, Protection of Civil Rights
Act 1955, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
1967, Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, Prevention of
Terrorism Act 2002 etc. shall be disqualified, where the
convicted person is sentenced to (i) only fine, for a
period of six years from the date of such conviction; (ii)
imprisonment, from the date of such conviction and shall
continue to be disqualified for a further period of six years
since his release.
2 - A person convicted for the contravention of(a) any law
providing for the prevention of hoarding or profiteering;
or (b) any law relating to the adulteration of food or drugs;
or (c) any provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
3 - A person convicted of any offence and sentenced to
imprisonment for not less than two years [other than any
offence referred to in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2)]
shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction and
shall continue to be disqualified for a further period of six
years since his release.
4 - Notwithstanding anything 8[in sub-section (1), subsection (2) or sub-section (3)] a disqualification under
either subsection shall not, in the case of a person who on
the date of the conviction is a member of Parliament or the
Legislature of a State, take effect until three months have
elapsed from that date or, if within that period an

appeal or application for revision is brought in respect

of the conviction or the sentence, until that appeal or
application is disposed of by the court.
The stroked-through portion above was the controversial
Section 8(4) clause of the Representation of Peoples Act
which was struck down by the Supreme Court calling the
Act ultra-vires of the Constitution and providing for
disqualification of MPs/MLAs on the day of their conviction.
News: July 2013: SC upholds Patna High Court judgment
debarring persons in judicial and police custody from
contesting elections (Section 62 (5) of the
Representation of the People Act 1951).

Details : Convicted or not, rule applies to those in jail and

police custody; not applicable to those out on bail.
The Bench said: We have heard counsel for the [political]
parties and we do not find any infirmity in the findings of
the High Court in the impugned common order that a
person who has no right to vote by virtue of the provisions
of Section 62 (5) of the Representation of the People Act
1951 is not an elector and is therefore not qualified to
contest the election to the House of the People or the
Legislative Assembly of a State.

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Also see:

1. Indian Companies Act 2013 : Salient Features

2. Election to Rajya Sabha : The Procedure
3. Parliament (Articles 79-88/122)
4. The President of India (Articles 52-62)
5. Schedules of Indian Constitution
6. The Vice-President Of India (Articles 63-73)
7. Fundamental Duties : Part IVA (Article 51A)
8. Governor of States (Article 152-162)
9. Officers, Conduct of Business and Disqualification
of MPs (Articles 89-106/122)
10. Constitution of India : List of All Articles (1-395)
and Parts (1-22)

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You are here: Home Polity Salient features of the Representation

of Peoples Act
Last updated on April 2nd, 2014 ClearIAS.com | Filed under: Polity and
tagged with: Representation of Peoples Act, UPSC Civil Services Mains
Paper 3, UPSC Mains General Studies Paper 2 (GS2)

7 Responses to "Salient features

of the Representation of Peoples
Act"
anakin says:
September 1, 2013 at 12:06 pm

very helpful
Reply

T.Elango says:
September 9, 2013 at 6:38 pm

Very useful..
Reply

Nikita says:
September 16, 2013 at 9:32 am

Great!
Reply

Arjun says:
September 20, 2013 at 6:43 pm

I love you !
Reply

francis says:
September 21, 2013 at 10:00 am

productive
Reply

Ashwini Bhat says:

October 23, 2013 at 2:40 pm

very precise
Reply

qweryu says:
February 19, 2014 at 10:04 pm

good
Reply

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