Difference between FPTP and PR system?

1. First Past the Post (FPTP) system, can be understood as the voting method in which the citizens of a constituency cast their votes for a candidate and the one getting majority votes win the elections. As against, Proportional Representation (PR) is an electoral system wherein citizens cast their votes to the political parties and seats are allocated to the parties according to the voting strength they possess.

2. In first past the post system, the whole country is divided into different small geographical areas, i.e. constituencies. In contrast, proportional representation, large geographical units are considered as a constituency.

3. In first past the post system, from each constituency one candidates get elected. Unlike, proportional representation, where more than one candidate can be selected from a constituency.

4. In first past the post system, the citizens cast their votes for the candidate of their choice. In contrast, votes are cast for political party by the citizens of the constituency.

5. In FPTP system, the total seats allotted to a political party may or may not be equal to the votes. As opposed, in PR system, the party gets seats in proportion to the votes polled for them.

6. In first past the post system, accountability exist, as people know the candidate whom they voted and if he/she does not serve them or work for their betterment, they can ask questions. On the contrary, accountability is absent, in the sense that people cast their vote for a party and not to a candidate.