DHARMASHASTRA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERCITY, JABALPUR

2018-19

RESEARCH WORK IN SOCIOLOGY

TOPIC- Analysis of Voting preference at DNLU
YEAR- 1ST
SEMESTER- 1ST

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

Sanidhya Kshirsagar Ms. Varsha Gumashta &
ENROLLMENT NO- BAL/089/I Mrs.Deeplaxmi Chile
PROFESSOR & ASST. PROF.FOR SOCIOLOGY
Table Of Contents
Chapter 1

i) Title
ii) Statement of Problem
iii) Scope of Study
iv) Research Questions
v) Research Objectives
vi) Research Methodology
a) Nature
b) Method of Data Collection
c) Sampling Technique
d) Hypothesis

Chapter 2

i) Introduction
a) What are elections?
b) Types of elections
1) Lok Sabha Elections
2) Rajya Sabha Election
3) State Elections
4) Local Body elections
c) Some other Elections

Chapter 3

i) Scope of Study In the region

ii) Questionnaire and Data Analysis

Chapter 4

i) Conclusion
Chapter 1
1.1 TITLE

ANALYSIS OF VOTING PREFERENCES AT DNLU

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

1.3 SCOPE OF STUDY

This study is conducted in at DNLU.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How do people decide whom to vote for? Does things such as caste and religion play any role
in preferences of the people in elections?

2. What is the idea of election among the students of age between 18-20?

3.To find out the sociological impact of elections?

3.How do people make their voting preferences?

1.5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The objective of this research is to find out about the voting mentality of
people bas ed upon their thinking and what they think about the role caste
plays during the time of elections and getting the ins ights of different
political parties on their exploitation of it and how there policies revolve
around it .
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Nature

The nature of this research is sociological as it is conducted to study and analyze behavioral
patterns pertaining in the society and the psychology and response of the people in the subject of
elections

Method of data collection

This study is conducted using Primary method. Hence the study is conducted using the primary
survey and interviewed 30 students at DNLU aforementioned in the Scope of the study.
Sampling Technique

The type of technique used in this study is Random Sampling - Non Probability one. The
students were selected at random were hander out the sheet containing the questionnaire and
were asked to fill out the options of their choice for the aforementioned question.

Hypothesis

Religion and caste play a vital role in influencing the voting preferences of the people.
Chapter 2
Introduction
What are elections?
In true sense election is a democratic proces s to elect people`s repres entative
to participate in the governance of a country. An election is the proces s of
voting to choos e someone to be their political leader or representative in
government. In a democracy and only in a democracy, the election gives
citizens an opportunity to give their ass ent or denial to the way the
government has been w orking. It is the prime tool to influence the decis ions
taken or to be taken to govern the country. Citizens get their chance to air
their preferences when an election is held.

To w in an election, political parties need to manifes t their policies, explaining

what would be in store for the people if elected by them. People have to
decide if they agree with the policies and if the political parties can be trus ted
to keep them if they s ecured majority to form the government.

Types of elections:-

1) General Elections (Lok sabha) :

This is the important election that takes place once in 5 years to elect 543
members for the P arliament (Lower hous e). A party needs 272 MPs to s take
claim to form the Central Government. If a party does n't have 272 MPs on its
ow n it can ally w ith other parties and form the government. Leader of the
party/alliance takes oath as the P rime Minister.

Mem bers of the Lok Sabha ar e dir ectly elected by the people of India, on the
basis of Univers al Suffrag e.   F or the purpose of holding direct elections to Lok
S abha; each state is divided into territorial constituencies .

In this res pect, the constitution of India m akes the following two provisions:

 Each s tate is allotted a number of seats in the Lok Sabha in such a

manner that the ratio betw een that number and its population is s ame
for all the states of India. This provision does not apply for states
having a population of less than 6 million (60 lakhs ).
  Each s tate is divided into territorial constituencies in such a manner
that the ratio betw een the population of each cons tituency and the
number of seats allotted to it remain the same throughout the s tate

2) Rajya sabha Elections (upper House) :

R ajya sabha is the U pper house and its members are not directly elected
by the people. They are elected by the Members of Legis lative Assembly
of the res pective s tates. Rajya Sabha MP has a 6 year term.

 The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper hous e of the

P arliament of India.
 M embers hip of Rajya S abha is limited by the Constitution to a
maximum of 250 members , and current laws have provision for 245
members .
 Most of the members of the H ous e are indirectly elected by state
and territorial legislatures using single transferable votes.
 The Pres ident can appoint 12 members for their contributions to art,
literature, s cience, and social s ervices. Members s it for s taggered s ix-
year terms , w ith one third of the members retiring every two years .

3) State Assembly Elections: 

People directly elect their representatives for the L egis lative ass em bly.
T otal s trength of each as sembly depends on each State, mostly bas ed on
s ize and population .  

 The Legis lative Assembly elections in India are the elections in

which the Indian electorate choose the members of the V idhan Sabha
(or Legis lative/S tate Assembly).
 They are held every 5 years and the members of the legis lative
assembly are called MLA . The ass embly elections are never carried
out in the same year for all states and union territories.
 The legislative as sembly elections are held in all the 29 States and 2
of the 7 U nion Territories of India.

Ex M.P. has 231 MLAs while Delhi has 70 MLAs

S imilar to Lok sabha elections , leader of the majority party/alliance takes oath
as Chief M inis ter.
 4) Local Body Elections : 
In this case as well, people directly elect their repres entatives for a
s maller geographical area. There are different types of local bodies .
C orporations, Municipalities , Panchayats , etc.

Eg: In M adhya Pradesh Indore, Jabalpur, Bhopal, etc are corporations and they
elect a Mayor and als o Ward Councillors. A ward is typically a very s mall
geographical area.  Unlike S tate and Central elections, people directly elect the
M ayor.  In mos t cas es the party w hich has majority Councillors will also hold
the mayor pos t becaus e of popular support. P eople generally vote based on
parties , not on any individuals .

Some other elections in India:-

 Elections to Municipal Corporations-

 Municipality Elections
 Elections to Nagar Panchayat
 Zila Parishad Elections
 Village Panchayat Elections
 Panchayat Samiti Election
CHAPTER 3
Scope of study in Region :- The Study was conducted at DNLU. The aim was
understand the mentality of the different people on the issue of voting and party preferences
for whatsoever the reasons.

Research questionnaire and sample size:-

1) Are you from MP?
a) Yes :-18
b) No :-12

No
40%

Yes
60%

2) What is your preferential political party?

a) BJP :-22
b) INC :-5
c) Other :-3
 Other
10% INC
17%

BJP
73%

3) Whom do you see as a better CM face in M.P.?

a) Shivraj Singh Chouhan :-20
b) Jyotiraditya Scindia :-3
c) Kamal Nath :-0
d) No one :-7

Jyotiaditya Scindia
10%
No one
23%

Shivraj Singh Chouhan

67%

4) What Category you fall?

a) General :-18
b) OBC :-9
c) SCs/STs :-3
 SCs/STs
10%

OBC
30%
General
60%

5) Do you believe caste politics play a role in M.P.?

a) Yes :-12
b) No :-14
c) Don’t Know :-4

Don't Know
14%

No
43%

Yes
43%

6) Do you think communal politics are at play in M.P. or are irrelevant?

a) Yes :-12
b) No :-18

Is there any communal Politics in MP

Yes
40%

No
60%

7) Whom do you think has a chance of forming government at M.P.?

a) BJP :-26
b) INC :-2
c) Can’t say :-2

Chances of forming gov

Can't say
7% INC
7%

BJP
87%

8) Who plays the caste card most?

a) BJP :-5
b) INC :-22
c) Independents :-3
 Independents
10%

BJP
17%

INC
73%

9) Does incumbency affect the voters decision?

a) Yes :-22
b) No :-4
c) Can’t say:-4

Can't Say
13%

No
13%

Yes
73%

10) Is the distribution of sops and various welfare schemes justified?

a) Yes :-16
b) No :-10
c) Can’t say :-4
 Distribution of sops and various welfare
4%
13%

Yes
51%
No
32%

11) What qualities do you consider important in a candidate?

a) Education and Background :-16
b) Ideology :-9
c) Personality and Image :-5
d) Other :-0
 Personality and Image
17%

Education and Backgrounf

Ideology 53%
30%

12) If you vote for a party do you check there party manifestos and
policies programme?
a) Yes :-19
b) No :-11

No
37%

Yes
63%

13) Do you have a background check of some of the prominent daces of

the party members of the different political parties?
a) Yes :-18
b) No :-12
 No
40%

Yes
60%

14) Do you follow any leaders on twitter?

a) Yes :-14
b) No :-16

1st Qtr
47%
No
53%

15) Do you align yourself with any political ideology or any other
ideology?
a) Yes :-10
b) No :-20
 Yes
29%

No
71%

Chapter 4

Conclusion:-
In conclus ion, elections have greater impacts on developing s trong
democracies s ince people have an ultimate s ay in the right w ay they w ant to
be governed. Bes ides , it brings about their rights and freedom as well as
ens uring political participation as well as ens uring that they check the
government at the time under check to ensure that all their demands are
accomplished. How ever, some democratic nations do not follow this noble
criterion. Ins tead, leaders elected are irresponsible and only go for their self-
interes ts and opt for dictatorship, autocracy and forced democracy, and in the
end, people los e hope on their democratic government.