Question

Enumerate merits of indirect election.

Answer 1

1. Election of good and competent representatives: In an indirect election, representatives are chosen by a group of electors chosen by the general public. The electorate serves as a screening tool for accurately assessing the qualifications of the candidates in the race. The best-qualified applicant is chosen to serve as the people’s representative.
2. An indirect election also involves a direct election: In an indirect election, representatives are chosen by a group of electors chosen by the general public. The electorate serves as a screening tool for accurately assessing the qualifications of the candidates in the race. The best-qualified applicant is chosen to serve as the people’s representative.
3. Indirect election is less noisy and more orderly: There is less chaos and noise when a representative is elected indirectly. The electorate, which consists of several hundred members, is chosen by the people. Each and every person elects representatives to it. The representative of the people is then chosen by this group in a calm and orderly fashion. An indirect election is devoid of all of these issues, but a direct election is typically chaotic, inefficient, and vexing.
4. Less role of political parties: Political parties only participate in the first phase of an indirect election, which is when the electorate chooses the group of electors. Since the representatives are thereafter chosen by the electorate, their function is essentially over.
5. Less expensive system: People elect an institution, which in turn elects all other representatives, making indirect elections less costly. The legislature of Switzerland is chosen by the people, who subsequently choose all of the ministers (councillors), judges, and other important public officials.
6. More suitable for a national level election: The indirect election system is more effective when a state’s citizens are choosing a representative or political powerholder at the federal level. The national representative or public official is chosen by the electoral college, which is first chosen by the entire populace. For instance, members of the Presidential Electoral College (PEC), which consists of just 537 members, are chosen by the entire American population. The US president and vice president are then chosen by the electoral college.
7. More suitable for developing countries: There are typically very few educated and politically conscious individuals in the majority of emerging nations. The majority of individuals lack literacy and political knowledge. Their political culture is localised. The indirect election system works better in these nations. It facilitates the election of members with greater qualifications.