NOTES PREPARED BY
ADIL AHMAD,M.A,M.Phill
TEACHER SCHOOL EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT JAMMU AND KASHMIR
Electoral Politics
Chapter 3
1. 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.
Ans. (c) Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.
2. Which of these is not a good reason to say that Indian elections are democratic?
(a) India has the largest number of voters in the world.
(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.
Ans.
(a) India has the largest number of voters in the world.
3. Match the following. (Solved)
(a) It is necessary to keep voters' list up to date, because
(iv) some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last
(b) Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that
(i) there is a fair representation of all sections of our society
(c) Everyone has one and only one vote so that
(ii) everyone has equal opportunity to elect their
representatives
(d) Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because
(iii) all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections
4. List all the different election related activities mentioned in the chapter and arrange them in a time sequence, beginning with the first activity and ending with the last. Some of these activities are given below; releasing election manifestos; counting of votes; making of voters list; election campaign; declaration of election results; casting of votes; ordering of re-poll; announcing election schedule; filing nomination.
Ans:-
Making of voters' list → Announcing election schedule → Releasing election manifesto → Election campaign → Filing nomination → Casting of votes → Ordering of re-poll → Counting of votes. → Declaration of election results.
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5. Surekha is an officer in-charge of ensuring free and fair elections in an assembly constituency in a state. Describe what should she each of the following stages of election:
(a) Election campaign
(b) Polling day
(c) Counting day
Ans.
(a) She will have to focus on various duties such as ensure that candidates cannot bribe or threaten voters, expenditure limit is not crossed by a candidate, candidates not appeal to vote in the name of religion or caste, they not use worship place for campaign or use any government resources.
(b) She will have to crosscheck the voters' list and check ID proof of the or voters, booth capturing not tak place. Ensure that Free and fair election
should be conducted.
(c) She have to look on counting is carried out, representatives of all parties present at counting area in order to avoid malpractices,
6. The table below gives the proportion of different communities among the candidates who won elections to the US Congress. Compare these to the proportion of these communities in the population of the US. Based on this, would you suggest a system of reservations in the US Congress? If yes, why and for which communities? If no, why not?
Proportion of the community (in percent )in the
House of Representatives. Population of US
Blacks. 8. 13
Hispanics. 5. 13
Whites. 86. 70
Ans. Blacks and Hispanics should be given reservation in the US Congress as per their percentage in the US population.
7. Can we draw the following conclusions from the information given in this chapter? Give two facts to support your position for each of these.
(a) Election Commission of India does not have enough powers to conduct free and fair elections in the country.
(b) There is a high level of popular participation in the elections in our country.
(c) It is very easy for the party in power to win an election.
(d) Many reforms are needed to make our elections completely free and fair.
Ans.
(a) The Election Election Commission of India is powerful enough to conduct free and fair election
i. It implements the code of conduct and punishes any candidate or party
ii. In Elections, Government officials work under the EC and not the government.
(b) There is a high level of popular participation in the elections:
i. Voter turnout has increased over the past years.
ii. Election-related activities in the last few years have seen a larger participation by the people.
(c) It is not very easy for the party in power to win an election:
i. The ruling parties routinely lose elections.
ii. Candidates who are known to spend a lot of money elections.
(d) Certain Reforms are necessary to make our elections completely free and fair:
i. To ensure that independents and small partes not suffer in elections.
ii. To ensure candidates with criminal records not participate.
8. Chinappa was convicted for torturing his wife for dowry. Satbir was held guilty of practicing untouchabil ity. The court did not allow either of them to contest elections. Does this decision go against the principles of democratic elections?
Ans. This decision does not go against the principles of democratic elections. Any person who is convicted for a crime has not right to remain a part of the society and hence has no right to contest the election.
9. Here are some reports of electoral malpractices from different parts of the world. Is there anything that these countries can learn from India to improve their elec ons? What would you suggest in each case?
(a) During an election in Nigeria, the officer in charge of counting votes deliberately increased the votes of one candidate and declared him elected. The court later found out that more than five lakh exercises votes cast for one candidate were counted in favour of another.
(b) Just before elections in Fiji, a pamphlet was distributed warning voters that a vote for former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry will lead to bloodshed. This was a threat to voters of Indian origin.
(c) In the US, each state has its own method of voting, its own procedure of counting and its own authority for conducting elections Authorities in the state of Florida took many controversial decisions.
Ans:-
(a) In this case, representatives of each candidate should be present to make sure that the votes are counted in a fair way.
(b) The election commission should set up an enquiry into the case and debar the candidate or party involved in distributing such pamphlets.
(c) There should be a single election commission which should be free from political influence and should be responsible for conducting elections throughout the country
10. Here are some reports of malpractices in Indian elections. Identify what the problem in each case is. What should be done to correct the situation?
(a) Following the anno, ent of elections, the minister promised to
(b) Opposition parties alleged that their statements and campaign was not given due attention in Doordarshan and All India Radio.
(c)inquiry by the Election Commission showed that electoral rolls of a state contain name of 20 lakh fake voters.
(d) The hoodlums of a political party were moving with guns, physically preventing supporters of other political parties to meet the voters and attacking meetings of other parties.
Ans.
(a) After announcement of election, it is not legal to announce policy decisions acc
ording to Code of Conduct. The minister should be immediately taken to task by the Election Commission.
(b) The election commission must ensure that all political party are given equal opportunity to appear on Doordarshan and All india Radio. EC take action against misuse of this media.
(c) The presence of the fake voters means that the elections were rigged by the authorities who prepared the electoral roll. The election commission should supervise preparation of fresh electoral rolls.
(d) By using hoodlums, the political party is terrorizing its rivals. The election commission should order the arrest of the hoodlums and bar the party from the elections.
11. Ramesh was not in class when this chapter was being taught. He came the next day and repeated what he had heard from his father. Can you tell Ramesh what is wrong with these statements?
(a) Women always vote the way men tell them to. So what is the point of giving them the right to vote?
(b) Party polÃtics creates tension in society. Elections should be decided by consensus not by competition.
(c) only graduates should be allowed to stand as candidates for elections.
Ans.
(a) The statement is wrong because the policy of secret ballot ensures that an individual can vote for whoever he/she wants. Women are fully like.
capable of taking decisions on their own and selecting the candidate they political
(b) Competition works as both deterrent and motivator for the political candidates. A fear of losing the election and a motivation for winning the elections works in favour of people.
(c) Educational qualification is not required to understand the people's needs, and to represent their interests. Therefore, it is not necessary for
politicians to be graduates.
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY QUESTIONS
Q. Describe the role of the Election commission in ensuring free and fair elections?
Ans:-In India, elections are conducted by an independent and very powerful Election commission. It enjoys the same kind of independence that the judiciary enjoys. Election commission has to perform many functions in order to ensure free and fair elections.
EC's work starts with the preparation of Electoral rolls where in the full address of vote are mentioned. Then the whole area, where
elections are election date to be held, is divided into so many constituencies then the announced after which candidate, willing for contesting
elections have to file their nominations. Them the election commission scrutinizes their papers and accepts or rejects the nomination papers as
the case may be. Then the political parties of national standing are given permanent election symbols. Then on the fixed date, the elections are
conducted. It is the duty of EC to setup election booths, to appoint the presiding and the polling officers, to count the votes and to declare the
results. An other important duty of the election commission is to see that the party in power does in no way take an advantage over other parties. These were some steps taken by EC to ensure free and fair elections.
Q. Describe in detail the various steps in the election process?
Ans:-Elections process involves many steps like.
(1) Announcement of Election Dates: The election commission starts when the EC announces the dates for each and every election,
(2) Selection of Candidates: Then different pol
itical parties select their candidates.
withdrawal of
(3) Filing the Nomination Papers, their scrutiny
Nomination by the candidates and publication of final list: Different candidates file their nomination paper before the last date then the EC Scrutinizes their papers and accepts or reject the nomination papers.
(4) Allotment of Symbols: National parties have their permanent symbols but other parties and important independent candidates are also
candidates. allotted symbols so that even the ordinary voters will also recognise the candidates
5) Election Manifestos:Then the different parties print their election Manifestos in order to make their voters to known their policies.
6) Campaigning: Political parties through election campaigning motivate. The voters to vote for their party.
7) Voting,counting of votes and declaration of results:-Then voting is held on the specific day. After the voting is over, the ballet boxes are
sealed and taken to the counting Centre. There the votes are counted and after, the result is declared.
8) Filing of Election Petitions: - If any candidate is not satisfied with the election results, he can go to the court of law to redress his complaint.
Q. What are the various challenges to free and fair elections?
Ans:-The challenges to free and fair elections are as:
(1) Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their and independent candidates. victory but they do enjoy a big and unfair advantage over small parties
(2) Sometimes in some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connection have been able to push others out of electoral race and to
secure a 'ticket' from major parties.
(3) There are some families who tend to be dominant, political parties tickets are distributed to relatives from these families.
(4) Bigger parties get huge advantages over
independents.
(5) Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens for both the major parties are quite similar to each other oth in policy and practice.
Q. What is an Electoral constituency?
Ans:-For the purpose of elections, the country is divided into different areas, these areas are called Electoral constituency. E.g. For Lok Sabha
elections. India is divided into 543 constituencies.
Q. How many Assembly constituencies are in J & K?
Ans:-In Jammu and Kashmir there are eight seven (87) constituencies.Q. Why are modern democracies indirect?
Ans:-Democracy is of two types one is direct and another is indirect or representative. Modern democracies are indirect because of following reasons
1) present states are in lakhs and crores.
2) Population of present states are in lakhs and crores
Q. What do you mean by the word popular participation in elections?
Ans:-There are many ways to check the quality of election process. One way to check the quality of election process is to see whether people participate in it with enthusiasm. If the election process is not fair and free, people will not continue to participate in the exeruse people's participation in election is usually measured by voter turnout figures. Turnout indicates the percent of eligible voters who actually cast their vote. Over the last fifty years, the turnout in Europe and North America has declined. In India the turnout has either remained stable or actually gone up.
Q. What is a coalition government?
Ans:-When two or more political parties join together in parliament/assembly to run the government and agree on a policy programme. It is then called a coalition government. E.g. Jammu and Kashmir has a coalition government. Since 2008.
Q. Why are elections necessary in a democracy?
Ans:-Elections are necessary in a democracy, because through elections people elect their best representatives who run the government and
function smoothly for the betterment of the society.
Q. What do you mean by direct and indirect elections?
Ans:-In direct election the casting their vote. E.g
an electors directly participate in the elections by
Lok- Sabha state legislative Assembly elections etc.
In indirect election only MLAs and MPs, cast their votes on behalf of general electorate. E.g. Rajya Sabha elections, election to the office of
president.
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Q. What is a General Election?
Ans:-The election to the Lok Sabha is called general election. It is held after every five years. The country is divided into 543 constituencies.
Q. What is a By- Election?
Ans:-When a member of Lok Sabha resigns or when he dies, then in his constituency election is held again, this is called a By-Election.
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