Shiv Chhatrapati Shikshan Sanstha’s

SantTukaram National Model School,

Latur
____--_______----------_________________
Class: IX Sub: Civics

Chapter: 3.Electoral Politics

Content
1. Introduction
2. Main Concepts & Sub concepts
3. Gist of the Lesson
4. Videos
5. Activity
6. Mind Map
7. Bibliography
8. Question Bank
 Introduction
In a democracy, people do not govern directly. They govern through the elected-

representatives. Governing through elected representatives is the most common

form of democracy.

Elections take place regularly in any democracy. There are more than 100

countries in the world in which elections take place to choose people’s

representatives. The mechanism by which people can choose their representatives

at regular intervals and change them whenever they want to is called an election.

Electoral politics is all about understanding election of representatives, need of

elections and how to make election democratic. It also involves examining the

role of the election commission in ensuring free and fair elections.

Elections

The mechanism or procedure by which people choose their representatives at

regular intervals is called election. If people are not satisfied with the working of

the government then they can change the government in the next term of

elections.
Procedure of Elections

The procedure of election can be understood by the real example of Haryana

Assembly elections. It will show how candidates standing in election become

representatives and how power can be removed from their hands.

 Main Concepts & Sub Concepts
1. Assembly Election in Haryana
2. What Makes an Election Democratic?
3. Elections
4. Why do we need Elections?
5. Types of Elections
6. Democracy without Elections
7. What Makes an Election Democratic
8. Demerits of an Electoral Competition
9. Merits of Electoral Competition
10. What is Our System of Elections?
a) Electoral Constituencies
b) Reserved Constituencies
c) Voters’ List
d) Who cannot Cast Vote?
e) Election Photo Identify Card (EPIC)
f) Nomination of Candidates
g) Election Campaign
h) Use of Slogans in Different Elections
i) Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus
j) Election Law
k) Polling and Counting of Votes
11. Unfair Means for Winning Elections
12. What Makes Election in India Democratic?
a) Independent Election Commission
b) Powers of the Election Commission
c) Popular Participation
d) Acceptance of Election Outcome
13. Challenges to free and Fair Elections
 Gist of the Lesson
Assembly Election in Haryana
Formation of New Party ‘Lok Dal’ Haryana had been ruled by Congress party
since 1982. At that time, Chaudhary Devi Lai was an opposition leader. He led
movement called Nyaya Yudh (struggle for justice) and formed new party ‘Lok
Dal’.

Election Campaign of Devi Lai In election campaign of 1987 Assembly election,

Devi Lai promised voters that if his party win, he would give loans to farmers and
small businessmen.

Voters favoured Lok Dal as people were unhappy with the existing government,
they were attracted by Devi Lai’s promise. They voted in favour of Lok Dal and
its partners won 76 out of 90 seats.

Results Announced Lok Dal won 60 seats that’s why it had a clear majority in the
– Assembly. The party with a clear majority is invited by the governor to form the
government. Congress got only 5 seats. As the election result was announced, the
existing Chief Minister of Congress resigned.

Devi Lai became Chief Minister The newly elected Members of Legislative
Assembly (MLAs) of Lok Dal chose Devi Lai as their leader. The Governor
invited’ Devi Lai to be the new Chief Minister. After three days of the election
result, he took the oath. Then his government issued a government order to give
loans to small farmers, agricultural labourers and small businessmen.

Congress again forms Government Lok Dal ruled die state for 4 years. In 1991
election, the party did not win people’s support. This time Congress won the
election and formed the government.
Why Do We Need Elections?
Elections take place regularly in any democracy. There are more than 100
countries in the world in which elections take place to choose people’s
representatives. The mechanism by which people can choose their representatives
at regular intervals and change them whenever they want to is called an election.
In an election the voters make many choices:

1. They can choose who will make laws for them.

2. They can choose who will form the government and take major decisions.
3. They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and
law making.
4. General Election

• Elections are held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same
day or within a few days.

By-election

• Sometimes election is held only for one constituency or two to fill the
vacancy caused by death or resignation of a member.

What Makes an Election Democratic?

Minimum conditions of a democratic election include the following points.

1. Everyone should be able to choose their own representative.

2. Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer
some real choice to the voters.
3. Elections must be held regularly after every few years.
4. The candidate preferred by the people should get elected.
5. Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can
choose as they really wish.

Is it Good to have Political Competition?

Elections are all about political competition. This competition takes various
forms. At the constituency level, it takes the form of competition among several
candidates. Here are a few reasons that support political competition as being
good for people.

1. Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and

leaders.
2. Political parties know that if they raise issues that people want to be raised,
their popularity and chances of victory will increase in the next elections.
On the contrary, if they fail to satisfy the voters with their work, they will
not be able to win again
3. If a political party is motivated only by the desire to be in power, despite
that, it will be forced to serve the people.

What is Our System of Election?

Elections are held in India in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) regularly
after every 5 years. After 5 years, the term of all the elected representatives comes
to an end.
Elections held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same day or
within a few days is called a General Election. Sometimes elections are held
only for one constituency to fill the vacancy caused by the death or resignation of
a member. This is called a By-Election.

Electoral Constituency
India is divided into different areas for the purpose of elections. These areas are
called electoral constituencies. The voters living in an area elect one
representative.

1. For LokSabha elections, India is divided into 543 constituencies. The

representative elected from each constituency is called a Member of
Parliament or an MP.
2. Each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies. In
this case, the elected representative is called the Member of Legislative
Assembly or an MLA. Each Parliamentary constituency has within it
several assembly constituencies.
The same principle applies for Panchayat and Municipal elections. Each village
or town is divided into several ‘wards’ that are like constituencies. Each ward
elects one member of the village or the urban local body. Sometimes these
constituencies are counted as ‘seats’, for each constituency represents one seat in
the assembly.
Reserved Constituencies
Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes
[SC] and Scheduled Tribes [ST]. In the LokSabha, 84 seats are reserved for the
SC and 47 for the ST.

1. In SC reserved constituency, only someone who belongs to the Scheduled

Caste can stand for election.
2. Only those belonging to the Scheduled Tribes can contest an election from
a constituency reserved for ST.
In many states, seats in rural (panchayat) and urban (municipalities and
corporations) local bodies are now reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBC)
and women candidates as well.

Voters’ List
In a democratic election, the list of those who are eligible to vote is prepared
much before the election and given to everyone, which is officially called
the Electoral Roll and is commonly known as the Voters’ List. It is the
responsibility of the government to get the names of all the eligible voters put on
the voters’ list.
The voters are required to carry Election Photo Identity Card [EPIC] when they
go out to vote, so that no one can vote for someone else. But the card is not yet
compulsory for voting as voters can show many other proofs of identity, like the
ration card or the driving licence.

Nomination of Candidates
Anyone who can be a voter can also become a candidate in elections. The
candidate should be a minimum of 25 years age. Every person who wishes to
contest an election has to fill out a ‘nomination form’ and give some money as
‘security deposit’. The candidate has to make a legal declaration, giving full
details of:

1. Serious criminal cases pending against the candidate

2. Details of the assets and liabilities of the candidate and his or her family
3. Educational qualifications of the candidate

This information is made available to the public so that voters can make their
decision on the basis of the information provided by the candidates.
Election Campaign
The election campaigns are conducted to have a free and open discussion about
who is a better Representative and in turn, which party will make a better
government. In India, Election Campaigns take place for a two-week period
between the announcement of the final list of candidates and the date of polling.
During this period the candidates contact their voters, political leaders address
election meetings and political parties mobilise their supporters.
Some of the successful slogans given by different political parties in various
elections:

1. Save Democracy
2. Land to the Tiller

3. Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus

According to India’s election law, no party or 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
4. Spend more than 25 lakh in a constituency for a LokSabha election or 10
lakh in a constituency in an Assembly election

If any Political Party does so, their election can be rejected by the court. In
addition to the laws, all the political parties in our country have agreed to a Model
Code of Conduct for election campaigns. According to this, no party or candidate
can:

1. Use any place of worship for election propaganda

2. Use government vehicles, aircraft and officials for elections
3. Once elections are announced, Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of
any projects, take any big policy decisions or make any promises of
providing public facilities

Polling and Counting of Votes

The day when the voters cast or ‘poll’ their vote is called the election day. The
voting is done in the following manner.
 1. Every person whose name is on the voters’ list can go to a nearby ‘polling
booth’.
2. Once the voter goes inside the booth, the election officials identify her, put a
mark on her finger and allow her to cast her vote.
3. An agent of each candidate is allowed to sit inside the polling booth and
ensure that the voting takes place in a fair way

A ballot paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting

candidates along with party names and symbols are listed. The ballot paper was
used earlier. Nowadays, electronic voting machines (EVM) are used to record
votes.

1. The machine shows the names of the candidates and the party symbols.
2. The voter has to just press the button against the name of the candidate she
wants to give her vote to.
3. Once the polling is over, all the EVMs are sealed and taken to a secure
place.
4. A few days later, all the EVMs are opened and the votes secured by each
candidate are counted.
5. The candidate who secures the highest number of votes from a constituency
is declared elected.

What Makes Election in India Democratic?

1) Independent Election Commission
In India, elections are conducted by the Election Commission (EC). The Chief
Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India. Election
Commission is independent and has a wide-range of powers which are:

1. EC takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections from

the announcement of elections to the declaration of results.
2. It implements the Code of Conduct and punishes any candidate or party that
violates it.
3. During the election period, the EC can order the government to follow some
guidelines, to prevent the use and misuse of governmental power to enhance
its chances 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.
2) Popular Participation

The quality of the election process can also be checked by seeing the participation
of people. People’s participation in the election is measured by voter turnout
figures. Turnout indicates the per cent of eligible voters who actually cast their
vote.

1. In India, the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger

proportion as compared to the rich and privileged sections.
2. Common people in India feel that through elections they can bring pressure
on political parties to adopt policies and programmes favourable to them.
3. The interest of voters in election related activities has been increasing over
the years.

3) Acceptance of Election Outcome

One final test of the free and fairness of the election is the outcome of the
election.

1. The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and
state level.
2. In the US, an incumbent or ‘sitting’ elected representative rarely loses an
election. In India, about half of the sitting MPs or MLAs lose elections.
3. Candidates who are known to have spent a lot of money on ‘buying votes’
and those with known criminal connections often lose elections.
4. Barring very few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are usually
accepted as ‘people’s verdict’ by the defeated party.

Challenges to Free and Fair Elections

Elections in India are essentially free and fair. Sometimes this may not be true for
every constituency. There are many limitations and challenges to Indian elections.
These include:

1. Candidates and parties with a lot of money enjoy a big and unfair advantage
over smaller parties.
2. Candidates with criminal connections have been able to push others out of
the electoral race and to secure a ‘ticket’ from major parties.
3. Tickets are distributed to relatives from their families.
4. Elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens as major parties are quite
similar to each other, both in policies and practice.
5. Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage
compared to bigger parties.
 Videos Links
(Animated)
Dear Students,

For better understanding for concepts please follow the following

Links……

(Full chapter)
https://youtu.be/Ol2MKIeoS_g

(System of Election)
https://youtu.be/0416yES4i6g

(Challenges to Free & Fair Elections)

https://youtu.be/Mi3sjUW5O-A

(Free & Fair Elections)

https://youtu.be/mDdLO6zUIUI

(Political Competition)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xit-ODQ2_0
 Activities
Activity-1
Do you know when the last Assembly election was held in your state?
Which other elections have taken place in your locality in the last five
years? Write down the level of elections (National, Assembly,
Panchayat, etc.), when were they held and the name and designation
(MP, MLA, etc.) of the persons who got elected from your area.
Activity-2
Write your view on the following questions:
a) Why are the candidates required to give a detailed statement of their
property?
b) Why are party agents present in the polling booth and the counting
centre?
c) Why does the Election Commission have so many powers? Is this
good for democracy?
Activity-3
What was the election campaign like in your constituency in the last
LokSabha elections? Prepare a list of what the candidates and parties
said and did.
 Activity-3
Ask the eligible voters in your family whether they voted in the last
election to the LokSabha or to the state assembly. If they did not, ask
them why they not voted. If they did, ask them which party and
candidate they voted for and why. Also ask them whether they had
participated in any other election-related activity like attending an
election meeting or rally etc.
Mind Map
 Bibliography
Dear Students,
Please take help of following reference books
and web links…….

1. All In One
2. Xam Idea
3. MBD
4. Oswal
5. Full Marks
6. Prachi

Web Links
7. learncbse.com
8. studyrankers.com
9. byjus.com
 Question Bank
1. Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Which party had been ruling Haryana since 1982?
Answer:
The Congress party had been ruling Haryana since 1982.

Question 2.
Who was ChaudharyDevilal? Name the party formed by him.
Answer:
ChaudharyDevilal was an opposition leader. He formed a new party called the
Lok Dal.

Question 3.
Which promises of Devilal draw in election campaign attracted the people?
Answer:
He promised to waive the loans of small farmers and small businessmen.

Question 4.
What was the result of the elections in Haryana in 1987?
Answer:
Lok Dal and its partners won 76 out of 90 seats, with Lok Dal alone winning 60
seats. The Congress could win only 5 seats.

Question 5.
Why did the Chief Minister resign?
Answer:
His party lost the elections. Only the leader of the majority party can form a
government.

Question 6.
Why do we have representatives in most democracies?
Answer:
In most democracies people rule through their representatives because it is not
possible for everyone to have time and knowledge to take decisions on all
matters.

Question 7.
What is election?
Answer:
It is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular
intervals and change them if they wish to do so.

Question 8.
How can we ensure that elections are held in a democratic manner? Give two
conditions.
Answer:

1. Everyone should be able to choose. Everyone should have one vote and
every vote should have equal value.
2. Elections must be held regularly and the voters should have something to
choose from i.e. enough parties and candidates.

Question 9.
Elections are all about ‘political competition’. Give two reasons.
Answer:.

1. There is competition among political parties.

2. At the constituency level there is competition among several candidates.

Question 10.
Give one reason why it is good to have political competition.
Answer:
Political competition is good because it gives the power to the people to reward or
punish the leaders according to their performance. This is what the election does,
it forces the parties and leaders to serve the people.

Question 11.
When does the term of all the elected representatives come to an end?
Answer:
After five years.
Question 12.
What is a constituency?
Answer:
The country is divided into different areas for the purpose of elections. These
areas are called electoral constitutencies.

Question 13.
Into how many constituencies is the country divided for LokSabha elections?
Answer:
543 constituencies. Members of Parliament.(MPs).

Question 14.
What are the members of State Assemblies called?
Answer:
Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

Question 15.
How are constituencies divided at the local level?
Answer:
In Panchayat and municipal elections each village or town is divided into several
‘wards’ that are like constituencies. Each ward elects one member of the village
or the urban local body.

Question 16.
How has the constitution ensured that the weaker sections of society also get
representation in the Parliament and state assemblies?
Answer:
This is ensured by having a special system of reserved constituencies for the
weaker sections, for those who belong to scheduled castes (SC) and scheduled
tribes (ST).

Question 17.
Why reserved constituencies were created by the makers of the Constitution?
Answer:
Reserved constituencies were created by the Constitution makers because they
were worried that in an open electoral competition, certain weaker sections do not
stand a good chance to get elected to the LokSabha and the state legislative
assemblies. They may not have the required resources, education and contacts to
contest and win elections.

Question 18.
How many seats are reserved for SCs and STs in the LokSabha?
Answer:
Currently, in the LokSabha 84 seats are reserved for scheduled castes and 47 for
scheduled tribes.

Question 19.
How many seats are reserved for women in local bodies?
Answer:
One third of the total seats are reserved for women in the local bodies.

Question 20.
Seats reservation was later extended to other weaker sections at the district and
local level. What are they called?
Answer:
Other Backward Classes.

Question 21.
What is a voters’ list?
Answer:
In a democratic election, the list of those who are eligible to vote is prepared
much before the elections and given to everyone. This list is called voters’ list or
“Electoral roll”.

Question 22.
What is the principle of Universal Adult Franchise?
Answer:
It means that everyone should have one vote and each vote should have equal
value. All the citizens of 18 years and above have the right to vote.

Question 23.
What is the Photo Identity Card System?
Answer:
Every voter is issued a photo Identity Card by the Election Commission. The
voters are required to carry this card when they go out to vote, so that no one can
vote for someone else.

Question 24.
Anyone who can be a voter can also become a candidate in elections, but there is
one difference. What is it?
Answer:
In order to be a candidate in election the minimum age is 25 years, while it is only
18 years for being a voter.

Question 25.
What is a party ticket?
Answer:
Political parties nominate their candidates who get the party symbol and support.
The party’s nomination is also called the party ticket.

Question 26.
How does a person file his/her nomination papers?
Answer:
Every person who wishes to contest elections has to fill a nomination form and
give some money as “security deposit”. This is how nomination papers are filed.

Question 27.
What are the legal declarations made by every party candidate?
Answer:
Details of assets and liabilities of the candidate and his or her family and
educational qualifications of the candidate.

Question 28.
Why has personal information of a candidate to be made public?
Answer:
The personal information of a candidate needs to be made public as it provides an
opportunity to the voters to make their decisions on the basis of the information
provided by the candidates.
Question 29.
What is the main purpose of election?
Answer:
It is to give the people a chance to choose the representatives, the government and
the policies they prefer.

Question 30.
Why are election campaigns needed?
Answer:
The main purpose of elections is to give people a chance to choose their
representatives, the government and the policies they prefer. Therefore it is
necessary to have a free and open discussion about which is better government or
what is a good policy. It is possible during election campaigning.

Question 31.
What is the time period of campaigning for elections?
Answer:
In our country such campaigns take place for a two-week period between the
announcement of the final list of candidates and the date of polling.

Question 32.
How do the candidates attract the public during election?
Answer:
Political leaders address election meetings and political parties mobilise their
supporters. Campaigning is also done through newspapers and television.
Nowadays, the campaigning is also done through social media. Political parties
try to focus public attention on some big issues.

Question 33.
Mention any two slogans given by different parties in various elections.
Answer:

1. GaribiHatao (Remove poverty), slogan of the Congress party led by Indira

Gandhi in the 1971 – elections.
2. Save Democracy was the slogan given by Janata Party under the leadership
of Jayaprakash Narayan in 1977 LokSabha elections.
Question 34.
What is a ballot paper?
Answer:
A ballot paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting candidates
along with the parties name and symbols are listed.

Question 35.
Where is ‘polling booth’ located on election day?
Answer:
On the election day every person, whose name is on the voters list, can go to the
nearby “ Polling Booth,” situated usually in a local school or a government office.

Question 36.
What is an electronic voting machine? (EVM).
Answer:
It is a machine that shows the names of the candidates and the party symbol. This
machine is used to record the votes.

Question 37.
Who is the head of the Election Commission (EC)?
Answer:
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is the head of the Election Commission.

Question 38.
Mention one function of the Election Commission?
Answer:
The Election Commission implements the code of conduct and punishes those
candidates or parties that violates it.

Question 39.
Who appoints the Chief Election Commissioner in India? [CBSE 2016]
Answer:
The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President of India.
Question 40.
How is people’s participation in election measured?
Answer:
People’s participation in election is usually measured by voter turnout figures
which indicate the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast their vote.

Question 41.
What is code of conduct?
Answer:
It is a set of norms and guidelines to be followed by political parties and
candidates during election time.

Question 42.
Why do common people in India attach a lot of importance to elections?
Answer:
They feel that they can bring pressure on political parties to adopt policies and
programmesfavourable to them.

Question 43.
Who vote in larger proportion in India?
Answer:
In India, the poor, the illiterate and the underprivileged vote in larger proportion
as compared to the rich and the privileged sections.

Question 44.
Are elections in India free and fair?
Answer:
Yes, elections in India are free and fair because these are conducted by an
independent Election Commission and all parties accept the outcome of the
elections. Usually, the party that loses the election does not accept the outcome of
rigged election.

Question 45.
Give any one challenge of Indian Elections.
Answer:
Some families tend to dominate political parties, tickets are distributed to
members of these families.
Question 46.
What is meant by booth capturing?
Answer:
Supporters or hired muscleman of party or candidate gain physical control of a
polling booth and cast false votes by threatening everyone or by preventing
genuine voters from reaching the polling booth.

Question 47.
Who can be denied the right to vote?
Answer:
Criminals and persons with unsound mind can be denied the right to vote.

Question 48.
What slogan was given by Janata Party under the leadership of Jayaprakash
Narayan in 1977 LokSabha election?
Answer:
Save Democracy.

Question 49.
Who used the slogan ‘Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus’ in Andhra Pradesh
Assembly elections in 1983?
Answer:
N.T. Rama Rao, the Leader of the Telugu Desam Party.

Question 50.
What was the slogan of the Left Front in the West Bengal Assembly elections
held in 1977?
Answer:
Land to the Tiller.

Question 51.
What is the full form of NOTA?
Answer:
None of the Above.
Question 52.
What is the meaning of free and fair elections? [CBSE 2016]
Answer:
It means people participate in the electoral process and give votes according to
their choices. The parties are free to contest elections and candidates preferred by
the people are elected.

Question 53.
When is National Voters’ Day celebrated in India?
Answer:
25th January every year.
 2. Fill in the blanks

Question 1.

Free and fair elections are ensured by the _______ .

Question 2.

The leader, Mr. Devi Lai from Haryana is the Chief of Haryana SangharshSamiti,

led a movement named _______ .

Question 3.

What does ‘EPIC’ stand for?

Question 4.

How many voters took part in campaign-related activities during the 2004

elections?

Question 5.

In India, LokSabha and VidhanSabha elections are held regularly after every

_______ .

Question 6.

Sometimes, election is held only for one constituency to fill the vacancy caused

by death or resignation of a member. This type of election is called _______ .

Question 7.

In India, we follow area based system of representation. The country is divided

into different areas for purposes of elections. These areas are called _______ .

Question 8.

Each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies. The

elected representative from each area is called _______ .

Question 9.

The list of those people who are eligible to vote is officially called the Electoral

Roll and is commonly known as _______ .

Question 10.

To be a candidate to contest the elections, the minimum age is _______ .

Question 11.

According to our election law, no party or candidate can _______ .

Question 12.

As per code of conduct for election campaign, _______ .

Question 13.

What do you mean by “Universal Adult franchises”?

Question 14.

The members of Election Commission are appointed by the _______ .

 Answers
1. Election Commission
2. Nyaya Yudh
3. Election Photo Identity Card.

4. More than one-third voters took parts in campaign-related activities during

the 2004 elections.

5. Five years

6. Electoral constituency

7. By-election

8. MLA or Member of Legislative Assembly

9. Voters List

10. 25 years

11. Bribe or threaten voters and appeal to them in the name of

caste/religion.
12. No party or candidate can use any place of worship for election
propaganda.
13. President of India
14. Every citizen of India who is 18 years of age or above has a right to
vote without discrimination of caste, creed, sex, colour, etc.
 3. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of these is not a good reason to say that Indian elections are
democratic?
a) India has the largest number of voters
b) India’s Election Commission is very powerful
c) In India, everyone above the age of 18 has a right to vote
d) In India, the losing parties accept the electoral verdict

2. Who appoints the Chief Election Commissioner (CCE) of India?

a) The Chief Justice of India
b) The Prime Minister of India
c) The President of India
d) The People of India

3. What is the age of a person who can contest election for Lok Sabha in
India?
a) 25 Years
b) 30 Years
c) 35 Years
d) 40 Years

4. The number of Lok Sabha Constituencies in India at present is:

a) 541
b) 546
c) 543
d) 540

5. The voter’s list is also known as:

a) Election
b) Voter Identity Card
c) Electoral Roll
d) None of these

6. Which of the following statements is against the democratic process of

elections?
a) Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections
b) Elections must be held regularly immediately after the term is over
c) The Right to Vote should be given to selected people only
d) Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner

7. The number of seats reserved for scheduled caste in Lok Sabha is:
a) 59
b) 79
c) 89
d) 99

8. Which one of the following provisions fails to ensure fair and equal chance
to compete to candidates and political parties?
a) No party or candidate can bribe or threaten voters
b) No party or candidate is bound by the model code of conduct
c) No party or candidate can use government resources for election campaign
d) Nobody can appeal to the voters in the name of caste or religion

9. Which of the following statements about the reasons for conducting

elections are false?
a) Elections enable people to judge the performance of the government
b) People select the representative of their choice in an election
c) Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary
d) People can indicate which policies they prefer

10. What makes an election democratic? Select the correct option.

a) Universal Adult Franchise
b) Fundamental Rights
c) Directive Principles of State Policy
d) Free and fair Election.

11. Which of the following does not include election procedure?

a) Voting
b) Nomination of Candidate
c) Booth capturing
d) Canvassing

12. Which of the following is not allowed while carrying out an election
campaign?
a) Giving money to voters to cast vote for particular candidate
b) Using television channels.
c) Door-to-door canvassing.
d) Contacting voters on phone.

13. Is it good to have Political Competition? Which of the following

statements justify this?
a) It creates a sense of disunity and factionalism
b) Political Competition helps to force political parties and leaders to serve people
c) It gives fair chance to people for the responsible government
d) Political competition causes divisions and some ugliness

14. What are the main challenges to free and fair elections in India? Select
the correct options.
a) Model of Code of Conduct
b) Lack of Internal Democracy among Political Parties
c) Influence of Money and Muscle Power
d) Dynastic Rule

15. During election the voters make many choices. Select the correct options.
a) Who will make laws for them?
b) Who will grant Fundamental Rights?
c) Who will form the government and take major decisions?
d) Who will check the functioning of courts?

16. Which among the following is not correct?

a) The Election Commission conducts all elections for the Parliament and
Assemblies.
b) The Election Commission directs and controls the preparation of electoral
rolls.
c) The Election Commission cannot fix the election dates
d) The Election Commission does the scrutiny of Nomination papers.

17. Which is the new reform introduced in the electoral process by the
Election Commission?
a) Indelible ink
b) Electronic voting machine
c) Polling booths
d) Voters list
18. Which of the following statements regarding elections and election
commission hold true?
(i) Election Commission of India has enough powers to conduct free and fair
elections in the country.
(ii) There is a high level of popular participation in the elections in our country.
(iii) It is very easy for the party in power to win an election.
(iv) Many reforms are needed to make our elections completely free and fair.

a) (i), (ii), and (iii)

b) (i), (ii') and (iv)
c) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)
d) only (iii)

19. Which of the following is not a feature of Election system in India?

a) Universal Adult Franchise
b) Secret Voting
c) Reservation of seats in the legislature for the members of Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes
d) Communal Electorate

20. Elections in India for Parliament and State Legislatures are conducted by
a) President
b) Prime Minister
c) Governor
d) Election Commission of India

21. Members of Election Commission are appointed by

a) President of India
b) Prime Minister of India
c) Elected by the people
d) Chief Justice of India

22. By-Election is the election which is held

a) Directly
b) Indirectly
c) To fill up a vacancy in the legislature
d) When a legislature is dissolved before the expiry of its normal term.
23. In Democracy Elections are important because
a) The formation of government becomes easy
b) They help in the formation of opposition party
c) They are a check on the working of the government
d) All of the above

24. Following is a weakness (challenge to) Indian election system:

a) Secret Ballot
b) Use of Electronic Voting Machines
c) Misuse of Official Machinery
d) Universal Adult Franchise

Answers:
1. a) India has the largest number of voters

2. c) The President of India

3. a) 25 Years

4. c) 543

5. c) Electoral Roll

6. c) The Right to Vote should be given to the selected people only

7. b) 79

8. b) No party or candidate is bound by the model code of conduct

9. a) & c)

10. a) and d)

11. c) Booth capturing

12. a) Giving money to voters to cast vote for particular candidate

13. b) and c)

14. a), c) and d)

15. a) and c)

16. c)

17. b) Electronic voting machine

18. b) (i), (ii') and (iv)

19. d) Communal Electorate

20. d) Election Commission of India

21. a) President of India

22. c) To fill up a vacancy in the legislature

23. d) All of the above

24. c) Misuse of Official Machinery

 4. Assertion and Reason
In the question given below, there are two statements marked as Assertion
(A) and Reason (R).Read the statements and chose the correct option:
1. Assertion (A): A rule of the people is possible without any elections if all the
people can sit together everyday and take all the decisions.
Reason (R): There could be some difficulty in deciding on who is more
experienced or knowledgeable. But let us say the people can resolve
these difficulties.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is correct but R is wrong.
D. A is wrong but R is correct.

2. Assertion (A): This is not possible in any large community. Nor is it possible
for
everyone to have the time and knowledge to take decisions on all
matters.
Reason (R): Therefore in most democracies people rule through their
representatives.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is correct but R is wrong.
D. A is wrong but R is correct.

3. Assertion (A): everyone should be able to choose. This means that everyone
should have one vote and every vote should have equal value.
Reason (R): 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.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is correct but R is wrong.
D. A is wrong but R is correct.
4. Assertion (A): The Constitution makers, however, 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.
Reason (R): the makers of our Constitution thought of a special system of
reserved constituencies for the weaker sections.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is correct but R is wrong.
D. A is wrong but R is correct.

5. Assertion (A): Every citizen has the right to vote, regardless of his or her caste,
religion or gender.
Reason (R): All of them are human beings with their own needs and views. That
is why all of them deserve to have an equal say in decisions that affect
them.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is correct but R is wrong.
D. A is wrong but R is correct.

6. Assertion (A): In a democracy it is best to leave political parties and

candidates free to conduct their election campaigns the way they
want to.
Reason (R): But it is sometimes necessary to regulate campaigns to ensure that
every political party and candidate gets a fair and equal chance to
compete.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is correct but R is wrong.
D. A is wrong but R is correct.

7. Assertion (A): Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles.

Reason (R): all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is correct but R is wrong.
D. A is wrong but R is correct.
 5. Correct the Following Statement and Rewrite it.
1. Lok Dal and its partners won 70 out of 90 seats in the State Assembly in 1987.
2. At the local level, it takes the form of competition among several
candidates.
3. Lok Sabha and vidhan parishad elections are held regularly after
every five years.
4. For Lok Sabha elections, the country is divided into 550 constituencies..
5. The same principle applies for Panchayat and Municipal elections. Each village
or town is divided into several constituency.
6. Lok Sabha, 85 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 45 for the
Scheduled Tribes
7. Party’s nomination is often called party politics
8. Every person who wishes to contest an election has to fill a ‘contestant form’
and give some money as ‘security deposit’.
9. The Congress party led by Indira Gandhi gave the slogan of corruption Hatao
in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971.
10. A EVM is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting
candidates along with party name and symbols are listed.
Answers
1. 76

2. Constituency.

3. Vidhan Sabha

4. 543

5. Wards

6. 84, 47

7. Ticket

8. Nomination

9. Garibi

10. Ballot paper

 6. Picture based questions

1. What does the following picture signify?

a) Candidate and voter b) leader and supporter

c) Temptation to dog d) None of above

2. What does the following picture signify?

a) Constituencies b) States
c) Union territories d) Wards
 7. Source Based Question
(Paragraph Questions)

1. Read the following sources and answer the questions given below.

Our Constitution entitles every citizen to elect her/his representative and to

be elected as a representative. The Constitution makers, however, 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.
They may not have the required resources, education and contacts to contest and
win elections against others. 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 a significant section of our
population. That would make our democracy less representative and less
democratic.
So, the makers of our Constitution thought of a special system of
reserved constituencies for the weaker sections. Some constituencies are reserved
for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes [SC] and Scheduled Tribes [ST].
In a SC reserved constituency only someone who belongs to the Scheduled Castes
can stand for election. Similarly only those belonging to the Scheduled Tribes can
contest an election from a constituency reserved for ST. Currently, in the Lok
Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the Scheduled
Tribes (as on 1 September 2012). This number is in proportion to their share in
the total population. Thus the reserved seats for SC and ST do not take away the
legitimate share of any other social group.
This system of reservation was extended later to other weaker sections at the
district and local level. In many states, seats in rural (panchayat) and urban
(municipalities and corporations) local bodies are now reserved for Other
Backward Classes (OBC) as well. However, the proportion of seats reserved
varies from state to state. Similarly, one-third of the seats are reserved in rural and
urban local bodies for women candidates.
1.1. What is the minimum age required to be a voter?
a) 16 b) 18 c) 21d) 25
1.2. What would make our democracy less representative and less democratic?
a) Restriction on Reserved constituencies
b) Restriction on Electoral constituencies
c) Restriction on elections
d) All of above

1.3. Identify the exact number of reserved seats for SC and ST for General Lok
Sabha Elections.
a) 84, 47 b) 85, 48 c) 84, 45 d) 85, 47
1.4. What is the rationale behind reserved constituencies?
a) To make rich and strong to the weaker section
b) Representation in Parliament and assembly for weaker section
c) Restriction on Reserved constituencies
 8. Short Answer Type Questions

Question 54.
What do you mean by election? Why is it needed in a Democracy? [HOTS]
Answer:
Election is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at
regular intervals and change them if they wish to do so. Elections are essential
because:

1. In any large community it is not possible for all people to sit together
everyday and take all the decisions. Nor is it possible for everyone to have
the time and knowledge to take decisions on all matters. Therefore, in most
democracies people choose their representatives who rule on their behalf.
2. Elections are fought on party basis. The party which gets a majority forms
the government. If the government fails to work as per its promises, people
can change it. This change can be brought about through elections. Thus
elections enable people to have control over the government.

Question 55.
What choices are given to voters during elections?
Answer:

1. They can choose who will make laws for them.

2. They can choose who will form the government and take major decisions.
3. They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and
law-making.

Question 56.
Enumerate the demerits of an electoral competition?
Answer:
The demerits of an electoral competition are:

1. It creates disunity and factionalism in every locality.

2. Different political parties and leaders often level allegations against one
another. Parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections.
3. It is often said that the pressure to win electoral fights does not allow
sensible long term policies to be formulated. Some good people do wish to
 serve the country but do not like to do so because of being dragged into
unhealthy competition.

Question 57.
How is electoral competition helpful to political parties and leaders to win
elections? [HOTS]
Answer:

1. Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and

leaders.
2. They know that if they raise issues that the people want to be raised, their
popularity and chances of victory will increase in the elections.
3. But if they fail to satisfy the voters with their work, they will not be able to
win again.

Question 58.
What is meant by ‘seat’ in elections? Explain with example. [CBSE 2015]
Answer:
The electoral constituencies are counted as ‘seats’, for each constituency
represents one seat in the assembly. For example, when we say that ‘Lok Dal won
60 seats’ in Haryana, it means that candidates of Lok Dal won is 60 assembly
constituencies in the state and thus Lok Dal had 60 MLAs in the state assembly.

Question 59.
Explain any three conditions which make the election process more democratic.
[CBSE 2010]
Answer:
In order to have election process more democratic there are few pre-requisites
like:

1. One vote, one value: To choose/elect the representative every one must have
one note with equal value. This is to avoid any type of conflicting situation.
2. Regular Election: There should be regular elections in every democratic
country so that people have their choice at regular intervals.
3. Free and Fair Election: In order to ensure a fair chance to the people there
should be free and fair election in every democratic country.
4. Political competition: In order to have democratic election parties,
candidates should be free to
contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters. {any three)
Question 60.
Why were the Constitution makers worried about certain weaker sections of the
country? What did they do to bring them in the mainstream?
Answer:

1. The Constitution makers were worried that the weaker sections may not
have the required resources, education and contacts to contest and win
elections against the influential and resourceful people who may prevent
them from winning the elections.
2. Therefore, they thought of a special system of reserved constituencies for
the weaker sections. The seats reserved for the scheduled castes and
scheduled tribes in the Lok Sabha are 84 and 47 respectively. This
reservation does not take away the legitimate share of any other social
group.
3. Seats are reserved in rural and urban local bodies for women and other
backward classes as well.

Question 61.
What legal declaration is required to be submitted by each candidate who wishes
to contest an election?
Answer:
Every candidate has to make a legal declaration, giving full details of the
following:

1. Serious criminal cases pending against the candidate.

2. Details of his/her assets and liabilities and those of his/her family.
3. Educational qualification of the candidate.
This information is made public. This provides an opportunity to the voters
to make their decisions on the basis of the information provided by the
candidates.

Question 62.
How does our Election Law regulate campaigns? [CBSE 2011]
Answer:
It may prove dangerous if political parties and candidates are allowed to conduct
their election
campaigns the way they want to. So it is essential to regulate campaigns to ensure
that every political party and candidate gets a fair and equal chance to compete.
According to our election law, no party or 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.
4. spend more than 25 lakhs in a constituency for the Lok Sabha election or 10
lakh in a constituency in an assembly election.
If they do so and are elected, their election can be rejected by court. (any
three)

Question 63.
What is meant by code of conduct? How does it control the activities of parties
and candidates?
[HOTS]
Answer:
Code of conduct means a set of norms and guidelines to be followed by political
parties and candidates during the election time. According to it no party or
candidate can:

1. use any place of worship for election propaganda.

2. use government vehicles, aircraft and officials for elections.
3. once elections are announced, Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of
any project, take any big policy decisions or make any promises to provide
public facilities.

Question 64.
What is an Election Commission? Who appoints the Chief Election
Commissioner and how can he/she be removed?
Answer:

1. Election Commission in India is an independent body that conducts

elections in India. It enjoys the same kind of independence that the judiciary
enjoys.
2. The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President of India.
But once appointed, he is not answerable to the president or the government.
3. Even if the ruling party or the government does not like the Chief Election
Commissioner it is virtually impossible to remove the CEC.
Question 65.
Explain the role of the Election Commission in the election.
Answer:
The Election Commission conducts elections in India. Its role is as follows:

1. It takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections from

the time of anouncement of elections to the declaration of results.
2. It implements the code of conduct and punishes the parties and candidates
who violate it.
3. During the elections, Election Commission can order the government to
follow some guidelines, to prevent misuse of governmental powers to
enhance its chances to win the elections or to transfer some government
officials.

Question 66.
How can you say that free and fair elections are held in India?
Answer:
The outcome of India’s election shows the free and fairness of election.

1. The ruling parties routinely lose elections India, both at the national and
state levels.
2. In India half of the sitting MPs and MLAs lose elections.
3. Candidates who spend a lot of money in ‘buying votes and those with
criminal connection often lose elections.
4. Barring a few incidents of disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are
usually accepted as ‘people’s verdict’ by the defeated party. (any three)
Question 67.
How do general elections differ from by-elections?
Answer:

General Elections By-Elections

Election are held in the

Elections are held in all the constituencies to fill the

constituencies at the same time, either vacancy/vacancies caused

on the same day or within few days. by death or resignation of a

member/members.

Question 68.
What do you mean by “voters’ list”? What is its significance?
Answer:

1. In a democratic election, the list of those who are eligible to vote is prepared
much before the election and is available to everyone.
2. The list is officially called the Electoral Roll and is commonly called the
voters’ list.
3. It is an important step for it is linked to the first condition of a democratic
election i.e. everyone should get an equal opportunity to choose
representatives. It is revised every year to add names of those who turn 18
on 1st January of that year or have moved out of the constituency and to
remove the names of those who have died.
Question 69.
What do you know about Voter ID card?
Answer:

1. Voter ID card is also called Election Photo Identity Card.

2. The government makes efforts to give this card to every person on the
voters’ list.
3. The voters are required to carry their card when they go out to cast their vote
so that no one else can vote in their place.
4. This card is not yet compulsory. The voters can show other identity proofs
also like the driving

Question 70.
How can we check the quality of the election process?
Answer:
The quality of an election process can be checked in three ways:

1. Who conducts the election: Indian elections are conducted by an

independent Election Commission which has the power to question the
government and the administration for the lapses.
2. Popular Participation: If the elections are not free and fair people do not
participate in the electoral process. So the turnout of the polling is also a
way to check the quality of the election process.
3. Acceptance of the outcome: If the election process is not free and fair the
outcome always favours the powerful and the losing party does not accept
the outcome.
So, the quality of election process can be checked on these bases.

Question 71.
How are results declared once the polling is over?
Answer:

1. On a fixed date all the EVMs from a constituency are opened and the votes
secured by each candidate are counted.
2. In general elections, usually the counting of votes in all the constituencies
takes place at the same time and on the same day.
 3. Television, Radio and the newspapers report the event. Within a few hours
of counting all the results are declared.

Question 72.
What does the turnout figure indicate?
Answer:
(a) People’s participation in an election is usually measured by voters’ turnout
figure.
(b) Turnout indicates the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast their
vote.
(c) It indicates the interest of voters in election related activities.

Question 73.
Describe the procedure of voting on the polling day. [CBSE 2016]
Answer:

1. On the election day the eligible voters go to the nearest polling booth to
vote.
2. A mark is put on the finger of the voter who vote as an identification mark
so as to avoid any person voting more than once.
3. A ballot paper or EVMs are used to record the votes. A voter presses the
button against the name of the candidate he or she want to vote for.

Question 74.
Give three reasons why the system of reserved constituencies was introduced by
the constitution makers in India. [CBSE 2016]
Answer:
The makers of our Constitution introduced Reserved Constituencies for the
weaker sections like SC
and ST for several reasons like

1. To provide a fair chance to the weaker sectipn to get elected to the Lok
Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies in an open electoral competition.
2. The reservation is due to those who are influential and resourceful may
prevent the weaker sections from winning the elections.
3. Besides, through reserved constituencies they tried to promote political
empowerment among, weaker sections.
Question 75.
How can you say that Election Commission of India is independent and
powerful?
Answer:

1. EC can reprimand the government and administration for their lapses.

2. If the polling is not fair in some booths or even an entire constituency, EC
can order a repoll.
3. Even if the ruling party or government does not like what the commission
does, it is virtually impossible for it to remove the CEC.
4. When on election duty, government officers work under the control of the
EC and not the
government. (any three)
 9. Long Answer Type Questions

Question 76.
How are elections held in India?
Answer:

1. Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections are held regularly after every 5
years.
2. After 5 years the terms of all the elected representatives comes to an end.
3. An area based system of representation is followed in our country. The
country is divided into different areas, called electoral constituencies, for
purposes of elections.
4. Elections are held in all the constituencies on the same day at the same time
or within a few days as in the case of General Elections.
5. Sometimes elections are held only for one constituency to fill up the
vacancy caused by the death or resignation of a member. This is called a by-
election.
6. The voters who live in an area elect one representative. (any five)

Question 77.
How does a party file a nomination for its candidates?
Answer:

1. In order to be a candidate a person must be 25 years of age.

2. Political parties nominate their candidates who get the party symbol and
support.
3. Party ‘ticket’ is party’s nomination.
4. Every person who contest an election has to fill a nomination form and give
some money as security deposit.
5. Every candidate has to make a legal declaration, giving some necessary
information about themselves.

Question 78.
How is campaigning done for elections held in India?
Answer:

1. In India, election campaign is carried out for two weeks between the
announcement of elections and the date of polling.
 2. During this period, the candidates contact their voters.
3. Election meetings are organised by political leaders and the political parties
mobilise their supporters.
4. During these days the radio, television and the newspapers are full of
election related stories and debates.
5. During the election campaigns, the political parties try to focus public
attention on some big issues. They want the public to vote for their party on
that basis.

Question 79.
How are polls conducted in India?
Answer:

1. The final stage of an election is the day when the voters cast their votes in
the polling booth. This is the Election Day.
2. Every person whose name is in the voters’ list goes to the nearby polling
booth to cast his/her vote.
3. Once the voters are in the polling booth, they are recognised by the election
officials, they are identified by putting a ink mark on the finger and allowed
to cast their vote.
4. An agent of each candidate is allowed inside the polling booth to ensure that
the voting takes place in a free and fair atmosphere.
5. A ballot paper is placed in which the names of the candidates along with
their symbols are listed. Nowadays EVMs are used to record the votes.
6. The machine i.e. EVM shows the names of the candidates and party
symbols. Even the independent candidates have their own symbol allotted
by the Election Commission. A vote presses the button against the name of
the candidate he/she want to vote for. (any five)

Question 80.
Describe the challenges to free and fair elections in India. [CBSE 2016]
Answer:
Challenges to the elections in India are:

1. Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory,
but they do enjoy an advantage over smaller parties and independent
candidates. –
2. In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connection have been
able to secure a ticket from major parties.
 3. Some families tend to dominate the political parties. Tickets are distributed
to members of these families.
4. Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens as both the major
parties are similar to each other in their policies and practices.
5. Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantgage as
compared to the bigger parties.

Question 81.
List the ways to regulate and ensure free and fair elections.
Answer:
(a) Misuse of government facilities should be prevented.
(b) Rigging on the polling day should be checked.
(c) Role of money and muscle power should be checked.
(d) Voting should be made compulsory.
(e) Contesting candidates should not be allowed to use caste or religion during
elections.

Question 82.
How is the voters’ list prepared?
Answer:
(a) In our country, all the citizens aged 18 and above are eligible to vote in the
election.
(b) Every citizen has the right to vote regardless of his caste, creed, sex and
religion.
(c) The government is responsible for entering the names of all the eligible voters
on the voters list.
(d) Names of those who have moved out of the constituency or are dead are
removed from the voters’ list.
(e) A complete revision of the voters’ list is done every five years for updating it.

Question 83.
How is people’s participation in elections measured? How can it be said that
elections are becoming popular in India and drawing people’s attention?
Answer:
People’s participation in elections is usually measured by voters turnout. The
turnout indicates the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast their vote.
Over the last fifty years in India the turnout has either remained stable or actually
gone up.
 1. In India the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger number
proportion as compared to the rich and privileged sections. This is in
contrast to United States of America where poor people, African Americans
and Hispanics vote much less in comparison to the rich and the Whites.
2. Common people in India attach a lot of importance to the elections. They
feel that through election they can bring pressure on political parties to adopt
policies and programmes favourable to them. They also feel that their vote
matters in the way things are done in the country.
3. Interest of people in the vote related activities has been increasing over the
years, e.g. in 2004 elections, more than 1/3rd voters took part in the
campaign-related activities.

Question 84.
Describe the wide ranging powers of the Election Commission in India.
Answer:
In our country elections are conducted by an independent and very powerful
Election Commission (EC). The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the
President of India. But once appointed the Chief Election Commissioner is not
answerable to the President or the government. But if the government does not
like what the Commission does, it is virtually impossible for the government to
remove the Election Commissioner.
His wide ranging powers are:

1. Election Commissioner’s decisions on every aspect of conduct and control

of elections are in force from the announcement of election to the
declaration of results.
2. He implements the code of conduct and punishes the candidates and parties
that violate it.
3. During the election period the EC can order the government to follow some
guidelines, to prevent use and misuse of governmental powers to enhance
their chances to win the elections or to transfer the government officials.
4. When on election duty the government officials work for the Election
Commission not the government.
Question 85.
What are the minimum conditions for a democratic election? Enlist them.
Answer:
The conditions for a democratic election are:

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

Question 86.
What are the main functions of the Election Commission of India? [CBSE 2010]
Answer:
The main functions of the Election Commission of India are among others.

1. Control and Conduct of the Elections: Election Commission takes

decision on every aspect of conducting and controlling elections from the
time of declaration of elections to the announcement of results.
2. Code of Conduct: The Election Commission can implement the code of
conduct and punish any party or candidates guilty of breaking or violating
any rule.
3. Can order the government: During the period of elections, Election
Commission can order the government to follow its guidelines on matters
including transfer of government officials.
4. Discharges duty: During election, Election commission discharges duty to
government officials. Thus, on election duty government officers work
under the control of election commission.
5. Reprimand the government: In the present political scenario the Election
Commission has expanded its power. Now the Election Commission
reprimand the government and administration for their lapses. It can even
order for repoll
******************