Question

What is the difference between the system of reservation of constituencies and the system of separate electorate? Why did the Constitution makers reject the latter?

Answer 1

In a system of reservation of constituencies, the candidates are from that social section for which the seat is reserved and all voters, irrespective of their social group, vote for any of them. In a system of separate electorate, the candidate of a particular community can only be elected by the voters of her/his community.

The latter was rejected by the Constitution makers because it went against their purpose of unity, secularism and a state that is free from discrimination.