Civics Class 9 : Chapter 3 - Electoral Politics
Chapter 3
Electoral Politics
Exercises
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. (a) Elections enable people to judge the performance of the government.
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. It is not good reason for the Indian elections.
3. Match the following:
Ans:
(a) (iv) some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last
(b) (i) there is a fair representation of all sections of our society
(c) (ii) everyone has equal opportunity to elect their representatives
(d) (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. Election related activities in correct sequence are as under:
1. Announcing election schedule
2. Making of voters list.
3. Filing nomination.
4. Releasing election manifestos,
5. Elections campaign.
6. Casting of vote.
7. Ordering of re-poll.
8. Counting of votes
9. Declaration of elections result.
5. Surekha is an officer in-charge of ensuring free and fair elections in an assembly constituency in a state. Describe what she should focus on for each of the following stages of election:
(a) Election campaign (b) Polling day (c) Counting day.
Ans. (a) Election campaign: Surekha as an election in charge should focus to regulate campaigns to ensure every political party and the candidate to get fair and equal chance to complete. She should take steps to stop each party and candidate from practicing:
- bribe or threaten the voters.
- appeal to the voters in the name of caste or religion
- use of government resources for election campaign.
(b) Polling day: She focus to conduct free and fair election at each and every booth of the state by taking some hostile decision to stop rigging, booth-capturing by any candidate or party.
(c) Counting day : She should make security arrangement to stop any party to use unfair means to affect free and fair counting of the votes. She must be ready to face the supporters of the party and candidate who will be defeated.
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?
Ans. 1. The Blacks have lesser number of seats (i.e., 8) in the House of Representatives as compared to their population (13%) so a system of reservation should be there for them in U.S. Congress.
2. In case of Hispanics, the need of reservation is some what hat more as the number of their members in the House of Representatives is far less (5) as compared to their population (13%).
3. There is no need of reservation for the Whites as they have already more seats (86) in the house of Representatives as compared to their population (70%).
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.
1. Election Commission of India does not have enough powers to conduct free and fair elections in the country.
2. There is a high level of popular participation in the elections in our country.
3. It is very easy for the party in power to win an election.
4. Many reforms are needed to make our elections completely free and fair.
Ans. (a) Election Commission is an independent agency and no body can challenge its power.
(b) Yes, the participation of people is as per our democratic norms. We have rights of participation in the elections.
(c) It is not necessary that a party in power can win the election because according to the code of conduct no body can use of official machinery or person in its favour so often we see that the party in power is not winning the election.
(d) It is fact that reforms are needed to make our election completely free and fair because we can observe that the candidates are spending more than the allotted expenditure of the Election Commission.
No doubt there is proper security arrangement but still booth capturing and use of force and money is still there. So we must check these problems and make election completely free and fair.
8. Chinappa was convicted for torturing his wife for dowry. Satbir was held guilty of practicing untouchability. The court did not allow either of them to contest elections. Does this decision go against the principles of democratic elections?
Ans. The decision of the court is correct regarding Chinappa and Satbir that they cannot contest elections. This decision is not against the principle of democratic election because of the Election Commission is also in favour of such decision that the criminals or convicts should not be contest the elections.
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 elections? 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 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 Chaudhary 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 that favoured Mr. Bush in the presidential elections in 2000. But no one could change those decisions.
Ans. (a) In this matter the Nigerian government should send their representatives in India to learn and operate the electronic voting machines (EVM).
(b) In this matter we can see the Indian origin voters are not say in other countries that is why the threats being given to him. In such condition Indian government can suggests the Fizzi government to make proper security arrangement for the Indian voters specially.
(c) Process of Elections in US and its states of different because their is no unified agency like Election Commission of India, that is why their election process is different according to their will.
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 announcement of elections, the minister promised to provide financial aid to reopen the closed sugar mill.
(b) Opposition parties alleged that their
173 statements and campaign was not given due attention in Doordarshan and All India Radio.
(c) An 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 the announcement of the election no minister can announce any benefit to any section of people or as a whole because it is against the code of conduct.
(b) The government should asked the Doordarshan and All India Radio to give due attention in case of opposition parties election campaign.
(c) The Election Commission should order to make another voters list of the genuine voters. So that the people of the state can see their name in the voter list and mark or report any fault done by the press or the official on duty.
(d) The activities of any such party taking the help of hoodlums to threaten the voters of other parties and disturbing the meeting of other parties can be noted by the Election Commission they should take strict action against the hoodlums and the party concerned.
11. Arun 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 politics 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) This is not right that women can be pressed by their husbands to vote to any particular party. This will not show the democratic attitude because according to our constitution they have equal rights. So the statement given was wrong.
(b) In this statement this is not proper election process. We cannot decide election only by consensus because at the time of voting they have to see many things regarding the candidate.
(c) This is against the constitutional way. Everyone have equal rights to contest elections without any discrimination of caste, creed education on status etc.
Extra Questions
Short answer type questions;
1. What choices are given to voters during elections?
Ans:
a. People can choose who will make law for them.
b.
They can choose who will form the government and take major decisions.
c. They can choose the party whose policies
will guide the government and law making.
2.
How
is electoral competition helpful to political parties and leaders to win
elections?
Ans:
a. Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and
leaders.
b. They know that if they raise issues that the people want to be raised, their popularity and chances of victory will increase in election.
c. But if they fail to satisfy the
voters with their work, they will not be able to win again.
3.
Explain
any three conditions which make the election process more democratic?
Ans: a. One vote one value : To choose the representative everyone must have one vote with equal value. This is to avoid any type of conflicting situation.
b. Regular Elections: There should be regular elections in every democratic country so that people have their choice at regular intervals.
c. Free and Fair Elections: In order to ensure a fair chance to the people there should be free and fair election in every democratic country.
d. Political Competitions: In order to have democratic election parties, candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters.
4.
Explain
the role of election commission in the election?
Ans: a. It takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections from the time of announcement of elections to the declaration of results.
b. It implements the code of conduct
and punishes the parties and candidates who violate it.
c. 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.
5.
How
can we check the quality of the election process?
Ans: a. Who conducts the election: Indian election are conducted by an Independent Election Commission which has the power to question the government and the administration for the lapses.
b. 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.
c. Acceptance of the outcomes: If the election process is not free and fair the outcome always favours the powerful and the losing party does not accept the outcome.
Long answer type questions:
6. How are elections held in India?
Ans:
a. Lok sabha and vidhan sabha elections are held regularly after every 5 years.
b. After 5 years the terms of all the
elected representatives comes to an end.
c. An area based system of representation is followed in our country. The country is divided into different areas called constituencies.
d. Elections are held in all the constituencies on the same day or within few days as in the case of general election.
e. Sometimes elections are held only for one constituency to fill up the vacancy caused by the death is called by-election.
f. The voters who live in an area elect one representative.
7.
How
does a party file a nomination for its candidates?
Ans:
a. In order to be a candidate a person must be 25 years of age.
b. Political parties nominate their
candidates who get the party symbol and support.
c. Part ticket is party’s nomination.
d. Every person who contest an election has to fill a nomination form and give some money as security deposit.
e. Every candidate has to make a legal declaration, giving some necessary information about themselves.
8.
How
is campaigning done for elections held in India?
Ans: a. In India election campaign is carried out for two weeks between the announcement of elections and the date of polling.
b. During this period the candidates
contact their voters.
c. Elections meetings are organized by political leaders and the political parties monbilise their supporters.
d. During these days the radio, television and the newspapers are full of election related stories and debates.
e. During the election campaigns the political parties try to focus public attention on some big issues.
9.
Describe
the challenges to free and fair elections in India?
Ans: a. 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.
b. In some parts of the country candidates with criminal connections have been able to secure a ticket from major parties.
c. Some families tend to dominate the political parties. Tickets are distributed to members of these families.
d. Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens as both the major parties are similar to each other in their policies and practices.
e. Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantages as compared to the bigger parties.
10. List the ways to regulate and ensure free and fair elections.
Ans:
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.
11.
What
are the main functions of the Election Commission of India?
Ans: a. 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 result.
b. 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.
c. 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.
d. Discharges Duty: During the election, Election Commission discharges duty to government officials. Thus on election duty government officers work under the control of election commission.
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