UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and bye-elections 2026

Q1. With reference to the constitutional and statutory framework governing elections in India, consider the following pairings of a provision with its subject matter. Which of the pairings given above is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Article 324 — Superintendence, direction and control of elections vested in the Election Commission of India
  2. Article 172 — Duration of the State Legislative Assemblies
  3. Representation of the People Act, 1950 — Conduct of elections and corrupt practices
  4. Article 327 — Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q2. Under Article 172 of the Constitution, what is the normal maximum duration of a State Legislative Assembly, reckoned from the date appointed for its first meeting, unless it is sooner dissolved?

  • A. 4 years
  • B. 5 years
  • C. 6 years
  • D. 6 years, but extendable by one year at a time during a Proclamation of Emergency

Q3. Which one of the following is the principal statute that governs the actual conduct of bye-elections and the filling of casual vacancies in Legislative Assemblies?

  • A. The Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • B. The Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • C. The Delimitation Act, 2002
  • D. The Constitution (Article 324) alone

Q4. In the context of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the expression 'casual vacancy' in a Legislative Assembly is best defined as:

  • A. A vacancy arising before the normal expiry of a member's term, for instance by death, resignation or disqualification of a sitting member
  • B. A seat that remains unfilled because no candidate contested it at the general election
  • C. The vacancy of all seats created automatically at the dissolution of the Assembly at the end of its term
  • D. A seat reserved for a nominated member that is awaiting a fresh nomination

Q5. In the General Elections to Legislative Assemblies (GELA) 2026, which was the ONLY State/UT to poll in more than one phase?

  • A. Tamil Nadu
  • B. Kerala
  • C. West Bengal
  • D. Assam

Q6. During GELA 2026, the declaration of the polling day as a paid holiday for employees drew its statutory authority from which provision?

  • A. Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • B. Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • C. Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • D. Section 33 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950

Q7. In GELA 2026, which State recorded a turnout of 84.69% — the highest in its own history, surpassing its previous peak of 78.29% set in the 2011 Assembly election?

  • A. Tamil Nadu
  • B. West Bengal
  • C. Kerala
  • D. Assam

Q8. The record 'voter turnout (polling percentage)' figures reported for GELA 2026 are computed as:

  • A. The number of electors who cast their vote as a percentage of the total electors on the electoral roll
  • B. The number of valid votes as a percentage of the total votes polled
  • C. The votes secured by the winning candidate as a percentage of the total votes polled
  • D. The number of electors who voted as a percentage of the total population of the constituency

Q9. Which one of the following is the ECI's single unified digital platform that subsumes existing apps such as the Voter Helpline App, cVIGIL and the Voter Turnout App, and through which citizens accessed candidates' educational qualifications and criminal antecedents in GELA 2026?

  • A. cVIGIL
  • B. Suvidha 2.0
  • C. ECINET
  • D. Saksham

Q10. In GELA 2026, West Bengal alone polled in two phases while the other units polled in a single phase. Consider the following statements about the phasing of polling. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Assam polled in a single phase.
  2. Kerala polled in a single phase.
  3. Tamil Nadu polled in two phases.
  4. Puducherry polled in a single phase.
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 1 and 4
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q11. The 2026 bye-elections to Assembly constituencies (including those in Gujarat and Maharashtra) to fill casual vacancies were conducted under the authority of:

  • A. The Election Commission of India, under Article 324 read with the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • B. The respective State Election Commissions, under Article 243K
  • C. The Governor of the concerned State, under Article 174
  • D. The Speaker of the concerned Legislative Assembly

Q12. The conduct of elections to Panchayats and Municipalities in a State is operationalised by which of the following authorities?

  • A. The Election Commission of India
  • B. The State Election Commission
  • C. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India
  • D. The District Collector as Returning Officer under the ECI