Civics Chapter-3

Electoral Politics

3 marks Questions

1. “Conducting elections is very expensive”. Explain.

Ans. A large number of money is spent in conduction elections in India. Some

critics say that elections are burden on the citizens of a country. Citizens cannot
afford to hold elections once every five years. For Instance, the government
spent about Rs.1300 Crores in conducting LokSabha elections in 2004. That
works out to about Rs 20 per person on the voters’ list. The amount spent by
parties and candidates was more than that government spent. Roughly speaking,
the expenditure made by government, parties and candidates was Rs. 3000
Crore or Rs 50 per voter

2. Who appoints the Chief Election Commissioner of India? What powers

are exercised by Election Commission of India?

Ans. The Chief Election Commissioner of India is appointed by President of

India. Following are the powers of the Election Commission of India.
Election Commission takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of
elections from the announcement of elections to the declaration of results.
It implements the Code of Conduct and punishes any candidate or party that
violates.
On election duty, government officers work under the control of the Election
Commission and not under government.

3. What are elections? What is their importance?

Ans. In democracy people choose their representatives to govern their country.

The process to choose representatives is called elections.
By elections a popular government is elected to run the country.
Elections are a method to bring about a change in leadership.
Elections made the representatives responsible towards people.

4. Why do we need elections?

Ans. Democracy is incomplete without elections. Thus, we need elections.

Through elections the legitimate government is established.
Through elections people can choose the party whose policies will guide the
government and Law-Making.

5. How can you prove that elections are democratic?

Ans. Every citizen must have the right to vote and every vote should have one
value.
There should be more than two or Multi-party system, so that the voters could
choose from the various candidates.
Elections should be held after regular intervals.
Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner.

6. What are the drawbacks of elections?

Ans. Able and intelligent persons are afraid of contesting elections.

Elections are a very expensive process which is a heavy burden on the people.
Sometimes the dynastic trends emerged in the elections.
Tickets are distributed to nears and dears of the leaders.

7. What is an election? How it gives an immense power to voters to make

many choices?

Ans. Election is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives

at regular intervals and change them if they wish to do so. This mechanism is
called election. In an election the voters make many choices:
They can choose who will make laws for them.
They can choose who will form the government and take major decisions.
They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law
making.

8. How would you explain the different forms of political competition?

Ans. The most obvious form is the competition among political parties. At the
constituency level, it takes the form of competition among several candidates. It
there is no competition, elections will become pointless.
It creates the sense of disunity and factionalism in every locality.
It creates party politics among political parties.

9. Explain the electoral system of India?

Ans. India is heaving representative democracy system. It is direct election
system.
Elections are conducted for Lok Sabha and State Legislature. The entire country
is divided in constituencies.
Election dates are announced and conducted by an independent Election
Commission.
People are enrolled as voters and they cast their vote to elect their
representatives.

10. What is a constituency?

Ans. Voters in a geographical area who elect a representative to the legislative

bodies.
The country is divided into different areas for the purpose of elections.
Hence these areas are termed as electoral constituencies.
The voters of a particular constituency elect one representative.
The area or size of constituencies for Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies are
different.
There are 543 constituencies for Lok Sahba.

11. What are reserve constituencies? Why constituencies are reserved?

Ans. The makers of our constitution thought of a special system of reserved

constituencies for the weaker section.
Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Caste
and Scheduled Tribes.
In a SC reserved constituencies only someone who belong to the Scheduled
Caste can stand for the elections.

12. What is an election campaign?

Ans. The main purpose of elections is to give a chance to choose the

representatives, the government and the policies they prefer.
Therefore it is necessary to have a free and open discussion about who is better
representative, which party will make a better government or what is good
policy.
This is what happens during election campaign.

13. Who cannot vote in democracies?

Ans. The final decision is in the hand of judiciary to decide who can vote and
who cannot.
Some criminals cannot vote. Persons with unsound mind can be denied the right
to vote, but only in rare situation. It is the responsibility of the government to
get the names of all the eligible voters put on the voters’ list.
The people whose age is less than 18 years are also cannot vote.

14. What is election Manifesto?

Ans. It is a vision and mission of political parties. All political parties release
their agenda for upcoming election. This agenda is called the election
manifesto.
The agenda is the promise made by the political parties with the voters.
If any political party wins the election it is compulsory to implement the agenda
of election manifesto.

15. What do you know about the election Commission?

Ans. In our country elections are conducted by an independent and very

powerful election commission.
It enjoys the same kind of independence that the judiciary enjoys.
The chief election commissioner is appointed by the president of India.
Election commission takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of
elections from the announcement of elections to declaration of results.

16. Write about Voters List.

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 of those who are eligible to vote to prepared
much before the election and give to everyone. This list is officially called
Electoral Roll or Voters List.

17. What are direct Elections?

Ans. In direct elections the voters cast their votes directly to elect their
representatives.
The elections for Lok Sabha and State Legislature are direct elections.
Representatives are more answerable to the people.
People get political education as parties present their policies and programmes.

18. What are Indirect Elections?

Ans. Under indirect elections the voters first elect the Electoral College and the
college elects the candidate. People do not get political education as voters do
not participate directly.
Elections of President and elections of members of Rajya Sabha are indirect
Elections.

19. What are General Elections?

Ans. Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections are held regularly after every five
years.
After five years the term of all the elected representatives come to an end.
The Lok Sabha and 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 General Elections.

20. What is Mid-Term and By-Elections?

Ans. Elections held before the fixed tenure is termed as Mid-Term elections.
Sometimes election is held only for one constituency to fill the vacancy caused
by death or resignation of a member. This called a By Election.

21. What are the importances of Universal Adult Franchise?

Ans. It promotes the national unity and integrity. It is according to the law of
equality.
It gives a chance to people to gain political education.

22. What do you know about Polling Day and Counting Day?

Ans. Polling Day: On this day voter are casting votes in a proper manner to
elect their representatives. While casting vote their identity card are being
checked properly by the authorities.
Counting Day: On this day votes are counted and the results are declared.
23. How far it is correct to say that women always vote the way men tell
them to?

Ans. This is not completely true. They are aware and self dependent now.
Women should have the right to vote because generally they do vote according
to their choice and it is according to the principle of universal adult franchise.

24. How far it is correct to say that Party politics creates tension in society?

Ans. Yes, it partially true that some time party politics creates tension in the
society.
Electoral completion is necessary to provide opportunities to political parties
and this atmosphere forces them to serve the people.
But the elections and political parties are the soul of democracy.
We cannot imagine democracy without political parties.

25. How far it is correct to say that only graduates should be allowed to
stand as candidate for elections?

Ans. No, it is not correct to say that only graduates should be allowed to stand
as candidates for elections.
Elections have nothing to do with the educational qualification of candidates.
After independence maximum leaders of India were under graduates. They are
more intelligent, honest and sincere as comparison to the qualified leaders of
today
This criterion will also deprive the major section of society to contest the
elections.

26. Write about the slogan “Garibi Hatao”.

Ans. The Congress Party led by Indira Gandhi gave the slogan of “Garibi
Hatao” in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971.
The Party promised to reorient all the policies of the government to remove
poverty from the country.

27. Write about the slogan “Save Democracy”.

Ans. “Save democracy” was the slogan given by Janata Party in the Lok Sabha
elections held in 1977. This slogan was given against the Emergency rule
imposed by congress Party in India during 1975-1976.
The party promised to undo the excess committed during Emergency and
restore civil liberties.

28. Write about the slogan “Protect the self respect of the Telugus”.

Ans. “Protect the self respect of the Telugus” was the slogan used by N.T.
RamaRao.
He was the leader of the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh.
This slogan was raised during Assembly election in 1983.

29. What are Ballot Paper and EVM?

Ans. Ballot Paper: A ballot Paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the
contesting candidates along with party name and symbol are listed. These
papers are used by the voters to cast their vote.
EVM: This is Electronic Voting Machine. Nowadays these are used to record
votes. The machines show the names of contesting candidates along with party
name and symbol.

30. How would you explain the different forms of political competition?

Ans. The most obvious form is the competition among political parties. At the
constituency level, it takes the form of competition among several candidates. It
there is no competition, elections will become pointless. It creates the sense of
disunity and factionalism in every locality.It creates party politics among
political parties.

5 marks Questions

1. How political competition helps to force political parties and leaders to

serve the people?

Ans. The regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties

and leaders. They know that if they raise issues that people want to be raised,
their popularity and chances of victory will increase in the next elections. But if
they fail to satisfy the voters with their work they will not be able to win again.
So if a political party is motivated only by desire to be in power, even then it
will be forced to serve the people. This is a bit like the way market works. Even
if a shopkeeper is interested only in his profit, he is forced to give good service
to the customers. If he does not, the customer will go to some other shop.
Similarly, political competition may cause division and some ugliness, but it
finally helps to force political parties and leaders to serve the people

2. How the system of declaration is made the Election process more sound
and informative?

Ans. Recently, a new system of declaration has been introduced on the direction
from the Supreme Court. Every candidate has to make a legal declaration,
giving full details
It has been made mandatory by the Supreme Court that every candidate who is
contesting election, has to file an affidavit.
Serious criminal cases pending against the candidate.
Details of the assets and liabilities of the candidate and his or her family.
Education qualification of the candidate.
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 candidate.

3. Can you illustrate the conditions of the democratic elections? Explain in

Detail.

Ans. Following are the conditions required for democratic elections:

Every adult citizen should be able to choose. This means that everyone should
have one vote and every vote should have equal value.
There should be something to choose from. Parties and candidates should be
free to contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters.
The choice should be offered at regular intervals. Election must be held
regularly after every few years.
The candidates preferred by the people should get elected.
Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can
choose as they really wish

4. Can you explain why is there no educational qualification required for

contesting elections in India?

Ans. There is no educational qualification is required for contesting elections in

India. Educational qualifications are not required to all kinds of Jobs. The
relevant qualification for selection to the Indian cricket team, for example is not
the attainment of educational degrees but the ability to play cricket well.
Similarly the relevant qualification for being an MLA and MP is the ability to
understand people’s concerns, problems and to represent their interests.
Whether they can do so or not is examined by lakhs of examiners-their voters-
after every five years. Even if education was relevant, it should be left to the
people to decide how much importance they give to educational qualification. In
our country putting an educational qualification would go against the spirit of
democracy for yet another reason. It would mean depriving a majority of the
country’s population the right to contest elections.

5. Highlight any five reasons for which the elections are considered
essential for any representative democracy.

Ans. A rule of the people is not possible without any election. Election is a
mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals
and change them if they wish to do so.
It is not possible that all the people sit together and take all the decisions
directly.
Elections give the right to the citizens to change their representatives if they do
not fulfill the wishes of citizens. Elections are the first requirement for healthy
Democracy. Elections barred the representatives to become dictators.

6. Describe any five unfair means practices which are adopted during
elections.

Ans. Sometimes political parties and candidates are involved in fraud and
malpractices to stay ahead of the others.
During the elections a party or candidates distribute money to voters.
They also distribute wine and gifts to obtain the favour of voters.
The candidates appeal the voters in the name of caste and religion.
The political party that is in power uses government machinery to won the
elections. Sometimes political parties hired musclemen and tried to capture the
booth.

7. Explain any five characteristics of popular participation in the election

process of India.

Ans. People’s participation in election is usually measured by voter turnout

figures.
Turnout indicates the percent of eligible voters who actually cast their vote.
In India the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger proportion
as compared to the rich and privileged section.
The interest of voters in election-related activities has been increasing over the
years.
More than half of the people identified themselves as being close to one or other
political party.
One out of every seven voters is a member of a political party.

8. “One final test of the free and fair election lies in the outcome itself”.
Justify the statement with the help of the outcomes of India’s elections.
Ans. The ruling party routinely loses elections in India both at the national
level.
In fact in every two out of the three elections held in the last fifteen years, the
ruling party lost.
In India about half of the sitting MPs or MLAs lose elections.
Candidates who are known to have spent a lot of money on buying votes and
those with known criminal connections often lose elections.
Barring very few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are usually accepted
as people’s verdict by the defeated party.

9. What are reserved constituencies? Explain the concept of reservation of

seats.

Ans. When a constituency is reserved for people belonging to Scheduled Castes

and Scheduled Tribes-such constituency is known as reserved constituency.
The constitution makers were worried that certain weaker sections may not
stand a good chance to get elected to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative
Assemblies.
The weaker sections may not have sufficient resources to win elections against
the resourceful and influential persons.
In such situation if the reservation is not given, our Parliament and Assemblies
would become deprived of the voice of a significant section of our population.
If such downtrodden categories of the society do not contest and win election,
our democracy will become less representative and less democratic.

10. Highlight the benefits of political parties in democracy.

Ans. Political parties make an environment of completion.

Political helps in the formation of public opinion.
Political parties help in spreading political awareness among people.
A Political party who won maximum no of seats or gain majority forms the
government of a democratic country.
A political party, who loses, sits in the opposition and stops the political party
who is in power to become a dictator.
All the political parties are necessary for the democracies and democracies
cannot exist without political parties.