In an election which was contested by two candidates, X and Y, 4000 votes were polled. Suppose that every vote was polled in favour of either of the two candidates. Candidate Y got 40% of vote polled and was defeated. What was the margin of defeat ?
500 votes
800 votes
1200 votes
1600 votes
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2017
Candidate Y received 40% of the total votes.
Votes for Y = 40% of 4000 = (40/100) * 4000 = 0.40 * 4000 = 1600 votes.
Since only two candidates contested and every vote was polled for one of them, the remaining votes must be for candidate X.
Votes for X = Total votes – Votes for Y = 4000 – 1600 = 2400 votes.
Y was defeated by X, meaning X received more votes than Y.
The margin of defeat for Y (or margin of victory for X) is the difference in the votes received by the two candidates.
Margin of defeat = Votes for X – Votes for Y = 2400 – 1600 = 800 votes.