Electoral Politics

Class IXChapter-3Electoral Politics

Q1.Why do we need Elections?

Ans. Elections are a must in a democratic country because of the following reasons :-

a)A rule of the people is possible without any elections if all the people can sit together every day and take all the decisions, but this is not possible in any large community.

b)Nor is it possible for everyone to have the time and knowledge to take decisions on all matters. Therefore in most democracies people rule through their representatives, who are elected through elections.

Q2.Why elections are considered essential in our times for any representative democracy?

Ans. Elections are considered  essential in our times for any representative  democracy because :-

a)They can choose who will make laws for them.

b)They can choose who will form the government and take major decisions.

c)They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law making.

Q3.What makes an election democratic?

Ans. a)First, everyone should be able to choose. This means that everyone should have one vote and every vote should have an equal value.

b)Second, there should be something to choose from. Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice to voters.

c)Third, to choice  should be afforded at regular intervals. Elections must be held regularly after few years.

d)Fourth, the candidate preferred by the people should get elected.    

e)Fifth, elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner when people can choose as they really wish.

Q4. Is it good to have political competition?

Ans. 1)Elections are all about political competition. This competition takes various forms, the most obvious form is the competition among political parties.

2)At the constituency  level it takes the forms of competition among several candidates.

3)sometimes, this competition turns into a personality race among the top leaders of various political parties.

4)Elections also led to various competition among various politics and ideologies.

Q5.what are the demerits of electoral competition?

Ans.(i)It creates a sense of disunity and factionalism in every locality.

(ii) Different political parties and leaders often level allegations against one another.

(iii)Parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections.

(iv)The pressure to win electoral fights does not allow sensible long-term policies to be formulated.

(v)Some good people who may wish to serve the country do not enter this arena. They do not like the idea of being dragged into unhealthy competition.

Q6.What is general election?

Ans.Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) elections are held regularly after every 5 years. After five years, the term of all the representatives comes to an end. The Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha stands dissolved. Elections are held in all constituencies at the same time either on the same day or within a few days. This is called a General Elections.

Q7. Define electoral constituency.

Ans. In our country we follow an area based system of representation. The country is divided into different areas for purpose of elections. These areas are called electoral politics. The who lived in an area elects one representatives for Lok Sabha elections, the country is divided into 543 constituencies.

Q8.What do you mean by ’By Election’?

Ans.  Sometimes elections is held for one constituency to fill the vacancy caused by death or resignation of a member. This is called ‘By Election’ .

Q9.Define reserved constituency? Why did India introduce this system?

Ans. When a constituency is reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Cast (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) only. Such a constituency is called Reserved constituency.

1)The constitution makers, were worried that in an open electoral competition, certain weaker sections may not stand a good chance to get elected to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies.

2)They may not have the required resources, education and contacts to contest and win elections against others.

3)Those who are influential and resourceful may prevent them from winning elections. If that happens, our parliament and assemblies would be deprived of the voice of significant section of our population.

4)In that case our democracy would be less representative and less democratic.

Q10.How many seats are reserved for SC and ST in Lok Sabha Currently?

Ans. Currently, in the Lok Sabha 84 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Cates and 41 for Scheduled Tribes. This number is in proportions to their share in the total population.

Q11.What proportions of seats are reserved for woman candidate?

Ans. One-third of the seats are reserved in rural and urban local bodies for women candidates.

Q12.What do you mean by electoral roll?

Ans. Once the constituencies are decided, the next step is to decide who can and who cannot vote. This decision cannot be left to anyone till the last day.  In a democratic election, the list those who eligible to vote is prepared much before the election and given to everyone .This list is officially called the Electoral Roll and commonly known as the Voter’s List.

Q13.What do mean by Universal Adult Franchise?

Ans. It means that everyone should have one vote and each vote should have equal value. No one shuld be denied the right to vote without a good reason.

Q14.Why is the principle of Universal Adult Franchise practised in democracy?

Ans.1) Different citizens have differ from one another in many ways : Some are rich, some are poor ; Some are highly educated, some are not so educated; some are kind, others are not so kind. But all of them are the human beings with their own needs and views.

2)Hence, the principle is applied so that everyone gets an equal opportunity to choose the representatives. All of them deserve to have an equal say in decisions that affect them.

Q15.Name the people who have the right to vote in India and the person be denied the right to vote.

Ans. In our country, Aged 18 years and above can vote in an election. Every citizen has the right to vote, regardless of his/her caste, religion or gender .Some criminals and persons with unsound mind can be denied the right to vote but only in rare situations.

Q16.What is EPIC?

Ans. 1)In the last few years a new section of Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) has been introduced. The government has tried to give this card to every person on the voter’s list.

2)The voters are required to carry this card when they go out to vote, so that no one can vote for someone else.

3)But the card id not yet compulsory for voting. For voting, the voters can show many other proofs of identity like the ration card or the driving licence.

Q17.What is the new system of declaration introduced by the supreme country?

Ans. Every candidate have to make legal declaration, giving full details of:

·         Serious criminal cases pending against the candidate;

·         Details of assets and liabilities of the candidate and his/her family; and

·         Educational qualifications of the candidates.

This information has to be made public. This provides an opportunity to the voters to make their decision on the basis of the information provided by the candidates.

Q18. Write a short note on election campaign in our country.

Ans. 1)In our country such campaigns take place for a two-week period between the announcement of the final list of the candidates and the date of polling.

2)During these two weeks the candidates contact their voters, political leaders address election meetings and political parties mobilise their supporters.

3) This is also the period when the newspapers and television news are full of election related stories and debates.

4)But election campaign is not limited to these two weeks only. Political parties start preparing for elections month before they actually take place.

5)In election campaigns, political parties try to focus the public attention on some big issues. They want to attract the public to that issue and get them to vote for their party on that basis.

Q19.What restrictions have been imposed on parties or candidates, according to our election laws?

Ans. According to our election laws, no party or an candidate can:

1)Bribe or threaten voters;

2)Appeal to them in the name of caste or religion;

3)Use government resources for election campaign; and

4)Spend more than 25 lakhs in a constituency for Lok Sabha election or 10 lakh in a constituency in an assembly election.

Q20.What is the provisions of Model Code Conduct?

Ans. According to Model Code Conduct no party or candidate can:

1)Use any place for worship for election propaganda.

2)Use government vehicles, aircraft and officials for elections; and

3)Once elections are announced, ministers shall not lay foundations stones for any new projects, take any big policy decisions or make any promises of providing public facilities.

Q21.Most candidates are fielded from political parties? Why?

Ans. Most candidates fielded from political parties because party candidates enjoy certain advantages over independent candidates.

(i)When a candidates is fielded by political party, it is sure for the voters to know what they are voting for.

(ii)Morden elections are a complex issue. It needs a well-oiled machinery to manage and organise it. Individual cannot mobilise vast resources for such elections. Parties are in position to do this.

(iii)Electioneering  means campaigning in various forms as well as in different parts of constituency. An individual  can’t manage but a party can do so.

(iv)Political parties have heavy weight and dynamic leaders, who are mass pullers. Independent candidates have no such advantage.

(v)In a word, political parties enjoy all these, necessary resources and facilities to conduct elections. That is why every individual tries its best to get a ticket from political party.

Q22.”It is said that elections are barometer of democracy”. Explain.

Ans. Elections, indeed are the barometer of democracy because of the following reasons:-

1)It is through elections alone that voters express their opinion.

2)It is also through elections that the people’s representatives are identified.

3)Elections help in maintaining  a close watch and effective control over the executive.

Q23.Mention some of the unfair practices used in elections?

Ans. 1)Inclusion of false names and exclusion of genuine names in the voter’s list.

2)The use of government facilities and officials by ruling parties.

3)Excessive use of money by rich candidates and big parties; and

4)Intimation of voters  and rigging on the polling day.

Q24.What is Ballot Paper?

Ans. A ballot paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting along with party names and symbols are listed.

Q25.What is EVM?

Ans. It is an electronic voting machines which is used to record votes. The machine shows the names of the candidates and the party symbols.

All the voters has to do this to press the button against the name of the candidate he/she wants to give his/her vote.

Q26.”Very few election commission in the world have such wide-raging powers as the Election Commission of India”. Explain.

Ans.1)EC takes the decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections from the announcement of elections to the results .

2)It implements the code of conduct and punishes any candidate or party that violates it.

3)During election period, the EC can order the government to follow some guidelines, to prevent use and misuse of governmental power to enhance its chance to win elections, or to transfer some government officials.

4)When on election duty, government officers work under the control of the EC and not the government.

Q27.What does the outcome of India’s  elections speak for itself?

Ans.1)The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level. In fact in every two out of three elections held in the lost fifteen years, the ruling party lost.

2)In US, an incumbent or ‘sitting’ elected representatives rarely loses an elections. In India about half of the sitting MPs or MLAs lose election.

3)Candidates who are known to have spent a lot of money on ‘buying votes and those with known criminal connection often elections.

4)Barring very few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are usually accepted as ‘People’s  verdicts’ by the defeated party.

Q28.What are the various limitations and challenges of Indian Elections?

Ans. The various limitations and challenges of Indian elections are:

1)Elections and Parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory but they do enjoy a big and unfair advantages over smaller parties and independents.

2)In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connection have been able to push others out of the electoral race and to secure a ‘ticket’ from major parties.

3)Some families tend to dominate political parties; tickets ae distributed to relatives from these families.

4)Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens, for both the major parties are quite similar to each other both in policies and practise.

5)Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantages compared to bigger parties.