UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 2: Questions on None of the Above (NOTA) and annexation of Crimea (Week 100)

QUESTION 1

The Supreme Court of India is examining the constitutionality of Section 53(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which allows candidates to be declared elected unopposed in the absence of other contenders. Critically analyse the implications of unopposed elections on democratic principles, particularly in the context of the ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) option and the right to vote.

QUESTION 2

The annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 has been a focal point in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, underscoring the peninsula’s strategic significance. Discuss the geopolitical, historical, and strategic factors that make Crimea vital to Russia. Discuss the implications of its annexation on international law and the global order.​

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: The Supreme Court of India is examining the constitutionality of Section 53(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which allows candidates to be declared elected unopposed in the absence of other contenders. Critically analyse the implications of unopposed elections on democratic principles, particularly in the context of the ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) option and the right to vote.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— The Supreme Court proposed that if there is only one candidate in an election, she should be obliged to acquire a predetermined minimum vote share to be proclaimed elected, rather than winning without holding the election.

— The court was hearing a plea filed by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, a legal research think tank, challenging the legality of Section 53(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as it pertains to Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— The petition, filed in August 2024, claims that not holding the election in the case of a single candidate precludes voters from selecting “None of the Above” (NOTA), which violates their fundamental right.

— The appeal cited the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in People’s Union for Civil Liberties versus Union of India, in which the court ruled that the freedom to vote negatively by selecting NOTA was guaranteed in direct elections under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.

— The paper claims that “this right, by which the voter indicates her disapproval of the entire field of candidates, must be agnostic to the number of candidates in the fray”.

— Between 1951 and 2024, candidates were elected uncontested to the Lok Sabha in 26 constituencies, according to the appeal, using Election Commission of India statistics reports from the time period. As a result, more than 82 lakh voters were denied the opportunity to vote in these elections, the report claims. According to the appeal, seven of the 26 no-contests occurred during the 1957 Lok Sabha election, five in 1951 and 1967, three in 1962, two in 1977, and one in 1971, 1980, 1989, and 2024.

— In its counter-affidavit presented earlier this month, the Election Commission stated that only nine of the 20 Lok Sabha elections held between 1951 and 2024 saw uncontested MP elections. In the more than three decades since 1989, only one contender has entered the Lok Sabha unopposed.

Conclusion:

— “As democracy evolves, more political parties compete in elections, resulting in a rise in the number of candidates, and voters grow more aware and eager to use their right to vote. The likelihood of an election being uncontested has become a rarity, as evidenced by statistical data, and so the court should not accept the current petition,” the ECI stated.

— The Commission claimed that “NOTA” could not be expected to have automatically contested every election.

— It highlighted the court’s NOTA decision, which stated that a button should be put to the electronic voting machine (EVM) to provide an option for people who did not want to vote for any of the candidates in the race.

(Source: Question before SC: are ‘unopposed’ election victories unconstitutional?)

Points to Ponder

Read about Representation of the People Act, 1951

Read more about None of the Above option in voting

Related Previous Year Questions

Discuss the procedures to decide the disputes arising out of the election of a Member of the Parliament or State Legislature under The Representation of the People Act, 1951. What are the grounds on which the election of any returned candidate may be declared void? What remedy is available to the aggrieved party against the decision? Refer to the case laws. (2022)

“There is a need for simplification of procedure for disqualification of persons found guilty of corrupt practices under the Representation of Peoples Act”. Comment. (2020)

QUESTION 2: The annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 has been a focal point in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, underscoring the peninsula’s strategic significance. Discuss the geopolitical, historical, and strategic factors that make Crimea vital to Russia. Discuss the implications of its annexation on international law and the global order.​

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Barack Obama “handed over” the Crimean peninsula to Vladimir Putin, but now “Crimea will stay with Russia,” according to US President Donald Trump in an interview with Time Magazine.

— Previously, Trump pressed Ukraine to accept a peace accord in which the US purportedly recognised Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

Importance of Crimea

— Geography is a major factor in determining a location’s strategic value. This phrase rings truer in few places in the globe than in Crimea, where its strategic worth stems not just from its own geography but also from that of the Russian Federation as whole.

— Russia’s coastline covers over 37,000 kilometres. However, majority of it is located north of the Arctic Circle, where sea ice renders many Russian ports useless in the winter. As a result, the hunt for warm water ports has led Russian foreign policy for centuries.

— The Black Sea is by and away the warmest marine feature bordering Russia. It is also Russia’s only direct access to the Mediterranean Sea — via the key Turkish-controlled Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits — and, by extension, southern Europe, Africa, West Asia, and beyond.

— The Black Sea ports of Sochi and Novorossiysk, located in southern Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, are quite shallow and require ships to moor offshore. This makes them less-than-ideal bases for the Black Sea Fleet, as opposed to its historic home, the deep-water port of Sevastopol, Crimea.

Implications of its annexation on international law and the global order

— In 2014, a major pro-Western political movement deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who was viewed in his country as a Russian stooge. Yanukovych fled Ukraine on February 22 of that year, and Russian soldiers seized control of Crimean vital sites days later.

— Russia sought to maintain control over Sevastopol. The lease renewal in 2010 was deeply controversial with Ukrainians who had deposed Yanukovych and gained leadership of the country. The Kremlin could not have given the new Ukrainian administration enough time to consolidate and consider action on Sevastopol.

— The new pro-West government that seized office in Kyiv following the Maidan Revolution was anticipated to advocate for NATO membership, as other former Warsaw Pact nations such as Romania and Bulgaria, both on the Black Sea, had already done.

— Joining the US-led, anti-Russia military coalition would leave Russia extremely exposed in the Black Sea, which was previously known as a “Soviet lake”. Taking full control of Crimea was critical in the context of a potential future invasion of Ukraine, as the peninsula would provide the necessary foothold and launchpad.

Conclusion:

— Crimea is dry, with inadequate rainfall to support the demands of its estimated 2.5 million residents. So the former USSR constructed the 400-kilometer-long North Crimean Canal to transport water from the Dnieper River from mainland Ukraine to the peninsula.

— Crimea had been part of Russia’s empire for centuries until 1954, when Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev handed up control of the peninsula to Kyiv as a “gift”.

(Source: Why Crimea matters to Russia)

Points to Ponder

Read about places in news in Ukraine-Russia region

Read about geography and map with reference to the Crimea region

Related Previous Year Question

‘The expansion and strengthening of NATO and a stronger US-Europe strategic partnership works well for India.’ What is your opinion about this statement ? Give reasons and examples to support your answer. (2023)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 100)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 99)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 98)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 99)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 98)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 99)

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