Question

Right to vote is a __________________.
A.Fundamental Right
B.Fundamental Duty
C.Part of Directive Principles
D.Legal Right

Answer 1

Hint: Universal Adult Franchise or Universal Suffrage forms the very basis of democracy. It has been adopted in the Indian Constitution as a basis of elections to the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies. In India, it is meant to provide all citizens, who have attained the age of 18 the right to vote regardless of their gender, religion, caste, class, ethnicity, wealth, income, place of birth, etc. Citizens who have been declared by the law that they are unstable to vote or barred due to corrupt practices or any illegal activities relating to elections are disqualified from voting.

Complete step by step solution:
Option A: is incorrect. Although the right to vote is essential in the Indian democracy, it is not included in Part III of the Constitution which states the Fundamental Rights. This has been done to differentiate with alien citizens who have not been given the right to vote but have been given certain fundamental rights like Right to Freedom, etc.
Option B: is incorrect. Although it is a duty of all citizens towards the country to cast a vote, the right to vote does not come under Fundamental duties.
Option C: is incorrect. The Directive Principles of State Policy are social and economic rights that act as guiding principles of governance of the country. They are non-justiciable and thus the right to vote cannot be included in them.
Option D: is correct. The right to vote is a legal right because it has been given to the people through the Representation of the People Act, 1951, section 62(1).

Note: The 61st Amendment to the Constitution in 1988 lowered the age of voting in elections from 21 to 18 years. Overseas Indians qualify as a resident of the address given in their passport and service voters qualify as a resident of their home address.