Prelims 2021 · Polity and Constitution · Question 80
Consider the following statements:<br/>1. In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election from three constituencies.<br/>2. In 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lal contested from three Lok Sabha constituencies.<br/>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.<br/><br/>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer
2 only
1. Incorrect. Section 33(7) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 allows a person to contest from at most two constituencies, not three. So there is a legal restriction.
2. Correct. Before the 1996 amendment, there was no such two-seat cap. In the 1991 Lok Sabha election, Devi Lal did contest from three constituencies.
3. Incorrect. The law does not require the candidate's party to bear the by-election cost. The 1996 amendment only capped contests at two constituencies; no such party-liability rule exists in the existing law.
Therefore, only statement 2 is correct.