Q.1.What were the promises made by Devi Lal in the Assembly Elections in 1987?
In the election campaign, Devi Q.12.What is Voter’s List? In a democratic election, the list of those who are eligible to vote is prepared much before the
Lal said that if his party won the elections, his government would waive the loans of farmers and small
businessmen. He promised that this would be the first action of his government. Q.2.What is Election? Election
is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals and change them if they
wish to do so. It is the process through which people choose their representatives to form the government.
E.g. Parliament election or Assembly election or elections of Local bodies. Q. 3. Why do we need elections? i) To
make the rule of the people elections are necessary. In most democracies people rule through representatives.
To choose the representatives we need election ii) To find out if people like their representatives or not
elections are required to elect or not to elect. iii) To ensure that these representatives rule as per the
wishes of people elections are required. iv) To make sure that those who the people don’t like do not remain in
power elections are required. Q.4.What are the choices that voters normally make in an election? In an election
the voters may make the following choices: - They can choose who will make laws for them. - They can choose
who will form the government and take major decisions. - They can choose the party whose policies will guide
the government and law making. - To find out if the people like their representatives or not. - To ensure
that these representatives rule as per the wishes of the people. - To make sure that those who the people
don’t like do not remain their representatives. Q.5. What are the minimum conditions of a democratic election?
(What makes an election democratic?) First, everyone should be able to choose. This means that everyone
should have one vote and every vote should have equal value. Second, 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.
Third, the choice should be offered at regular intervals. Elections must be held regularly after every few years.
Fourth, the candidate preferred by the people should get elected. Fifth, elections should be conducted in a
free and fair manner where people can choose as they really wish
Q.6.What are the merits/advantages of political competition? If there is no competition, elections will become
pointless. Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and leaders. They know that if
they raise issues that people want to be raised, their popularity and chances of victory will increase in the next
elections. But if they fail to satisfy the voters with their work they will not be able to win again. Thus it
motivates them to do good things. Political competition enlightens people about election and democratic principles
and during their competition people can identify the party that they should choose. Q.7.What are the de-
merits/disadvantages of political competition? An electoral competition has many demerits. It creates a sense of
disunity and ‘factionalism’ in every locality. Different political parties and leaders often level allegations against
one another. Parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections. Some people say that the pressure to
win electoral fights does not allow sensible long-term policies to be formulated. Some good people who may wish to
serve the country do not enter this arena. They do not like the idea of being dragged into unhealthy
competition. Q.8. How do we deal with the real life situation in political competition? i) One way is to try and
improve the knowledge and character of political leaders. ii) The other and the more realistic way is to set up a
system where political leaders are rewarded for serving the people and punished for not doing so. Q.9.Distinguish
between General Election and By- election. Elections that are held in all constituencies at the same time, either
on the same day or within a few days, after a regular interval of five years are called general elections. Sometimes
elections that are held only for one or a few constituencies to fill the vacancies caused by death or resignation
of members, these are called a by-election. After a General Election a new government will be formed whereas in a
by-election the existing government will not change. Q.10.What is meant by ‘Electoral Constituencies’? In our
country we follow an area based system of representation. The country is divided into different areas for
purposes of elections. These areas are called electoral constituencies. In a constituency only one candidate will be
elected during election. For Lok Sabha election the country is divided into 543 constituencies. The representative
elected from each constituency is called a Member of Parliament ( MP). Q.11.What are Reserved Constituencies?
Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the backward classes like 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, 79 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 41
for the Scheduled Tribes. It is a measure to include representation for all classes in the legislature.
Q.23.State some unfair practices taking place during the elections in India. - Inclusion of false names and exclusion
of genuine names in the voters’ list; - Misuse of government facilities and officials by the ruling party; -
Excessive use of money by rich candidates and big parties; - And Intimidation of voters and rigging on the polling
day. Q.24.Why should we have an Independent Election Commission in India? In our country elections are conducted
by an independent and very powerful Election Commission (EC). It enjoys the same kind of independence that the
judiciary enjoys. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India. But once appointed,
the Chief Election Commissioner is not answerable to the President or the government. Even if the ruling party
or the government does not like what he Commission does, it is virtually impossible for it to remove the CEC. It
is responsible to conduct elections in free-and-fair manner along with ensuring that no ruling party or
government official influence the Election Commission. Q.26.Under what circumstances does the Election
Commission order re-polling in a constituency? When election officials come to the opinion that polling was not
fair in some booths or even an entire constituency, they order a re-poll. Q.27.What is ballot paper? A ballot paper
is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting candidates along with their party name and symbols
are listed. Q.28.How is people’s participation usually measured in an election? (Or) What is Voters Turnout in
Elections? People’s participation in elections is usually measured by Voter Turnout figures. Turnout indicates the
percent of eligible voters who actually cast their vote. Over the last 50 years the turnout in Europe and North
America has declined. In India the turnout has either remained stable or actually gone up. Q. 32. What makes
election in India democratic? i) An independent Election Commission ii) Universal Adult Franchise iii) Popular
Participation iv) Acceptance of election results. (Explain all points) Q.30.The outcome of India’s elections speaks
for itself. Explain. The outcome of India’s elections speaks for itself: The ruling parties routinely lose elections
in India both at the national and state level. In fact in every two out of the three elections held in the last
fifteen years, the ruling party lost. It proves that unfair practices are not used by the ruling parties. 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. Candidates who are known to have spent a lot of money on ‘buying votes’ and those with
known criminal connections often lose elections. Except a very few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes
are usually accepted as ‘people’s verdict’ by the defeated party.
election and given to everyone. This list is officially called the Electoral Roll and is commonly known as the Voters’ List. This
is an important step for it is linked to the first condition of a democratic election: everyone should get an equal
opportunity to choose representatives. It contains name, age, sex, fathers name or husband’s name, address and serial number
of the voters in a constituency. Q.13.What is meant by Universal Adult Franchise? Why is it adopted in India? All the citizens
aged 18 years and above, regardless of his or her caste, religion or gender can vote in an election. It is known as Universal
Adult Franchise. It is adopted in India due to the following reasons: Different citizens in India differ from one another in
many ways; some are rich some are poor; some are highly educated and some are literate; some are kind others are not so. But
all of them are human beings with their own needs and views. All of them deserve to have equal say in decisions that affect
them. Q.14.What is meant by EPIC? It is a new system called Election Photo Identity Card [EPIC]. The government has tried
to give this card to every person on the voters list. The voters are required to carry this card when they go out to vote,
so that no one can vote for someone else. But the card is not yet compulsory for voting. Q.15.What are the different
stages of election procedure? - Nomination of Candidates. - Election Campaign - Polling and Counting of Votes (Explain all the
points) Q.16.What is meant by Nomination of Candidates? Anyone who can be a voter can become a candidate in elections. The
only difference is that in order to be a candidate the minimum age is 25 years, while it is only 18 years for being a voter.
There are some other restrictions on criminals etc. Every person who wishes to contest an election has to fill a ‘nomination
form’ and register their name on or before the last date of the nomination. Q.17.What is the requisite qualification(s) to be
nominated as a candidate in an election? Every candidate has to make a legal declaration, giving full details of: No serious
criminal cases are pending against the candidate; Details of the assets and liabilities of the candidate and his or her family;
and: Educational qualifications of the candidate
Q.18.What is the importance and purpose of Election Campaigns? The main purpose of election is to give people a chance
to choose the representatives, the government and the policies they prefer. 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. During this
period the candidates contact their voters, political leaders address election meetings and political parties mobilize their
supporters. In election campaign , political parties try to focus public attention on some big issues. They want to
attract the public to that issue and get them to vote for their party on that basis. Q.19.What are the different
techniques of Election Campaigns? Publishing Election Manifesto, Public Speeches, Sticking of Wall Posters, Issuing
Pamphlets, Advertisement through mass media, Door-to-Door Canvassing etc. are the different techniques of Election
Campaigns. Q.20.State any 4 important slogans raised by different political parties in India. The Congress party led by
Indira Gandhi gave the slogan of Garibi Hatao (Remove poverty) in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971. The party promised
to reorient all the policies of the government to remove poverty from the country. Save Democracy was the slogan given
by Janata Party in the next Lok Sabha election held in1977. The party promised to undo the excesses committed during
Emergency and restore civil liberties. The Left Front used the slogan of Land to the Tiller in the West Bengal Assembly
elections held in 1977. ‘Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus’ was the slogan used by N. T. Rama Rao, the leader of
the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections in 1983. Q.21. Mention the Code-of-conduct of party and
candidates during elections. No party or candidate can bribe or threaten voters; No party or candidate can appeal votes
on the name of caste or religion; No party or candidate can use government resources for election campaign; and No party
or candidate can spend more than Rs. 25 lakh in a constituency for a Lok Sabha election or Rs. 10 lakh in a constituency
in an Assembly election. Q.22.How is polling done during an election? Every person whose name is on the voters’ list can go
to a nearby ‘polling booth’, situated usually in a local school or a government office. Once the voter goes inside the
booth, the election officials identify her, put a mark on her finger( by using indelible ink) and allow her to cast vote. An
agent of each candidate is allowed to sit inside the polling booth and ensure that the voting takes place in a fair way.
Earlier the voters used to indicate who they wanted to vote for by putting a stamp on the ballot paper. A ballot paper
is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting candidates along with party name and symbols are listed.
Nowadays electronic voting machines (EVM) are used to record votes. The machine shows the names of the candidates and
the party symbols. Once the polling is over, all the EVMs are sealed and taken to a secure place. A few days later, on a
fixed date, all the EVMs from a constituency are opened and the votes secured by each candidate are counted.
Q.29.The quality of election process is fair in India. Justify by giving suitable examples. People’s participation in
elections is usually measured by Voter Turnout figures. Turnout indicates the percent of eligible voters who actually
cast their vote. Over the last 50 years, the turnout in Europe and North America has declined. In India the turnout
has either remained stable or actually gone up. In India the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger
proportion as compared to the rich and privileged sections. This is in contrast to western democracies. For example in
the United States of America, poor people, African Americans and Hispanics vote much less than the rich and the white
people. Common people in India attach a lot of importance to elections. They feel that through elections 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 run in the country. The interest of voters in election-related activities has been
increasing over the years. During the 2004 elections, more than one-third voters took part in campaign-related
activities. More than half of the people identified themselves as being close to one or the other political party. One
out of every seven voters is a member of a political party. Q.31.What are the challenges to Free and Fair elections in
India? A few candidates may win purely on the basis of money power and unfair means. But the overall verdict of a
general election still reflects popular preference. There are very few exceptions to this rule in the last fifty years
in our country. Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory but they do enjoy a big
and unfair advantage over smaller parties and independents. In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal
connection have been able to push others out of the electoral race and to secure a ‘ticket’ from major parties. Some
families tend to dominate political parties; tickets are distributed to relatives from these families. It is known as
dynastic succession in politics. Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens, for both the major
parties are quite similar to each other both in policies and practice. Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer
a huge disadvantage compared to bigger parties. They got less number of workers and less amount of money. Q.25.What
are the functions of Election Commission? EC takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections
from the announcement of elections to the declaration of results. It implements the Code of Conduct and punishes
any candidate or party that violates it. During the election period, the EC can order the government to follow some
guidelines, to prevent use and misuse of governmental power to enhance its chances to win elections, or to prevent
transfer of government officials. When on election duty, government officers work under the control of the EC and
not the govt.
Q1) How did the word Democracy originate? The word democracy is derived from a Greek word ‘Demokratia’. In
Greek “Demos’ means people and ‘kratia’ means rule. So Democracy is rule by the people. It is a form of government
in which the rulers are elected by the people. Q2) What are the features of Democracy? i. In a Democracy the final
decision making power must rest with those elected by the people. By electing the representatives they transfer
the power to the representatives. ii. A Democracy must be based on a free and fair election where those
currently in power have a fair chance of losing. In true democracy those who are in power will not misuse the
power or play foul tricks to win the election. They respect the judgment of the people. iii. In a Democracy, each
adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value. It is otherwise Universal Adult Franchise. 4. A
democratic government rules within limits set by constitutional law and citizens’ rights. In a democratic country
everyone should be equal in the eyes of law. No one can do anything against the laws of the country and against
the rights of citizens. Q3) How did the Legal Framework order passed by Pervez Musharraf amend the
Constitution? i. In August 2002 Musharraf issued a ‘Legal Framework Order’ that amended the constitution of
Pakistan. According to this order , the President can dismiss the national or provincial Assemblies . ii. The work of
the civilian is supervised by a National Security Council which is dominated by military officers. iii. After passing
this law, elections were held to the national and state assemblies. So Pakistan had elections, elected
representatives have some power. But the final power rest with military officers and with general Musharraf
himself. Q4) Why is Pakistan under Pervez Musharraf not considered a democratic country? i. Perez Musharraf
overthrew a democratically elected government in October 1999 through a military coup and declared himself the
President of the country. ii. In August 2002 Musharraf issued a ‘Legal Framework Order’ that amended the
constitution of Pakistan. After passing this law, elections were held to the national and state assemblies. So
Pakistan had elections, elected representatives have some power. But the final power rest with military officers
and with general Musharraf himself. They are not elected by the people.
Q7) What are the Arguments against Democracy? (De-merits of democracy) The arguments against Democracy are:
1) Leaders keep changing in a Democracy. This leads to instability. 2) Democracy is all about political competition
and power play. There is no scope for morality. 3) So many people have to be consulted in a democracy that it
leads to delays in taking decisions. 4) Elected leaders do not know the best interest of the people. It leads to
bad decisions. 5) Democracy leads to corruption for it is based on electoral competition. 6) Ordinary people do not
know what is good for them; they should not decide anything. Q8) What are the advantages of Democracy?(
Merits of democracy)Or Why is democratic government a better form of government? The advantages of
democracy are: - A Democratic government is a better form of government because it is more accountable form
of government. - Democracy improves the quality of decision making. - Democracy provides a method to deal with
differences and conflicts. - Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens. - Democracy is better than other forms
of government because it allows us to correct our own mistakes. Q9) What is the most common form of
government in today’s world? The most common form that Democracy takes is that of a representative
Democracy. It is the rule through people’s elected representatives. It is otherwise known as indirect democracy.
Q10) Why are modern democracies indirect democracies? Modern democracies are indirect democracies in the
following ways: Modern Democracies involve such a large number of people that it is physically impossible for them
to sit together and take collective decisions. More over countries are larger in size.Even if they could , the
citizen does not have the time, the desire or the skills to take part in all the decisions. Q11) How can the
principles of Democracy be applied to all spheres of life? A democratic decision involves consultation with and
consent of all those who are affected by that decision as those who are powerful. This can apply to a
government or a family or any other organization. Thus Democracy is also a principle that can be applied to any
sphere of life.
Q. 12. What are the features of the Hot Weather or Summer Season? i) From March to May, it is hot weather
season in India. In March, the highest temperature is about 38° Celsius, recorded on the Deccan plateau. In April,
temperatures in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are around 42° Celsius. In May, temperature of 45° Celsius is common
in the northwestern parts of the country. ii) A striking feature of the hot weather season is the ‘loo’. These
are strong, gusty, hot, dry winds blowing during the day over the north and north western India. Sometimes they
even continue until late in the evening. Direct exposure to these winds may even prove to be fatal. iii) Dust
storms are very common during the month of May in northern India. These storms bring temporary relief as they
lower the temperature and may bring light rain and cool breeze. iv) This is also the season for localised
thunderstorms, associated with violent winds, torrential downpours, often accompanied by hail. In West Bengal,
these storms are known as the ‘Kaal Baisakhi’ calamity for the month of Baisakhi. v) Towards the close of the
summer season, pre-monsoon showers are common especially, in Kerala and Karnataka. They help in the early
ripening of mangoes, and are often referred to as ‘mango showers’. of the people, including their festivities,
revolve around this phenomenon. 17. What is preamble of a Constitution? It is the preface of the Constitution
It sums up the ideals of the Constitution. The Preamble of the Constitution reads like a poem on democracy. It
contains the philosophy on which the entire Constitution has been built. It provides a standard to examine and
evaluate any law and action government, to find out whether it is good or bad. It is the soul of the Indian
Constitution. 7. What are the functions of a constitution? i) First, it generates a degree of trust and
coordination that is necessary for different kind of people to live together. ii) Second, it specifies how the
government will be constituted, who will have the power to take decisions. iii) Third, it lays down limits on the
powers of the government and tells us what the rights of the citizens are. iv) Fourth, it expresses the
aspirations of the people about creating a good society.
Q5) Why do we consider China and Mexico as non- democratic countries? i. In China , elections are regularly held
after Five years for electing the country Parliament . It has nearly 3000 members elected from all over the
china. ii. Before contesting elections, a candidate needs the approval of the Chinese Communist party. Only
those who are the members of the Chinese Communist Party or eight smaller parties allied to it were allowed
to contest elections held in 2002-03. The government is formed by the Communist Party. Therefore it is
not a democratic country. iii. Since its independence in 1930 Mexico holds elections after every six years to
elect its president But until 2000 every election was won by a party called PRI (Institutional Revolutionary
Party). Opposition parties did contest elections but never managed to win. iv. The PRI is known to use many
dirty tricks to win elections. All those who were employed in government offices had to attend its party
meeting. Teachers of government schools used to force parents to vote for the PRI . v. Media largely ignored
the activities of opposition political parties except to criticize them. Sometimes the polling booths were
shifted from one place to another in the last minute which made it difficult for people to cast their votes.
The PRI spent a large sum of money in the campaign for its candidates. Q 6) When did Zimbabwe gain
independence? Which party ruled and who is leader? Why is Zimbabwe not considered as a democratic country?
Zimbabwe attained independence from white minority in 1980. Since its independence the country has been
ruled by ZANU-PF , the party that led the freedom struggle. Its leader, Robert Mugabe , has been ruling the
country since independence. Zimbabwe is not considered a Democratic country because of the following
reasons: - President Mugabe is popular but also uses unfair practices to win elections. Over the years his
government has changed the Constitution several times to increase the powers of the President and make
him less accountable. - Opposition Party workers are harassed and their meeting disrupted. Public protests and
demonstrations against the government are declared illegal. There is a law that limits the right to criticize
the President. - Television and radio are controlled by the government and give only the ruling party’s
version. There are independent newspapers but the government harasses those journalists who go against it.
The government has ignored some court judgments that went against it and has pressurized judges
Q12) What is the strength and weakness of Democracy? We require a constant effort to save and
strengthen democratic forms of decision making . What we can do as citizens can make a difference to
making our country more or less democratic. This is the strength and weakness of Democracy. Q13) Name
the smallest administrative unit in India where decisions are taken Collectively. Gram Sabha is the smallest
administrative unit in India where decisions are taken collectively. Q14) State any two ideal standards that
all democracies must aim at? Two ideal standards that democracy must aim at are: 1) Democracy should
ensure that no person goes hungry to bed. 2) In a Democracy every citizen must be able to play a equal role
in decision making. Every citizen needs to have basic information, equal resources and a lot of commitment.
Q15) What are the different situations in the word ‘Democracy’ is used other than for the Government?
1. Democratic family: Whenever a decision has to be taken, all members in the family sit together and
arrive at a decision.. A boys opinion matters as much as his father’s. 2. Democratic class: Teachers allow
students to speak and ask questions in the class. Students like to have teachers with democratic
temperament. Q 16) Explain the broader meaning of democracy. 1. Democracy is a principle that can be applied
to any sphere of life. There are different situations in which the word ‘Democracy’ is used other than for
the Government 2. Democratic family: Whenever a decision has to be taken, all members in the family sit
together and arrive at a decision.. A boy’s opinion matters as much as his father’s. 3. Democratic class:
Teachers allow students to speak and ask questions in the class. Students like to have teachers with
democratic temperament. 4. Democracy should ensure that no person goes hungry to bed. 5. In a Democracy
every citizen must be able to play a equal role in decision making. Every citizen needs to have basic
information, equal resources and a lot of commitment
Q.21. Describe the onset and withdrawal of the monsoons in India. (a)Generally, the monsoon arrives at
the southern tip of the Indian peninsular by the first week of June. Subsequently, it divides into two
branches, the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch. (b)The Arabian Sea branch reaches Mumbai
about ten days later, i.e. around 10th of June. The Bay of Bengal rapidly advances and reaches Assam in the
first week of June. c)The monsoon winds are then deflected by high mountains and move towards west
over the Ganga plains. The Arabian Sea branch of the monsoon arrives over Saurashtra-Kuchchh and central
part of the country by mid-June. (d) The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal branches of the monsoon
merge over the northwestern part of the Ganga plains. (e) Delhi usually receives monsoon showers from
the Bay of Bengal by the end of June. (f) Western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and eastern Rajasthan
experience monsoon by the first week of July. The monsoon reaches Himachal Pradesh and the rest of the
country by midJuly. Withdrawal: Withdrawal or the retreat of the monsoon is a more gradual process (a) the
monsoon begins to withdraw from the northwestern states of India by early September. (b) The monsoon
withdraws completely from the northern part of the Indian peninsular by mid October. (c) The monsoon
withdraws from the rest of the country by early Devember. (d) The islands receive the very first monsoon
showers from the first week of April to the first week of May, progressively from south to north. The
withdrawal of monsoon in the islands takes place from the first week of December to the first week of
January. 4. Define the term ‘constitution’. The constitution of a country is a set of written rules that
are accepted by all people living together in a country. Constitution is the supreme law that determines
the relationship among people living in a territory (called citizens) and also the relationship between the
people and the government. 2. Who was Nelson Mandela? Nelson Mandela was the President of South Africa.
He fought against the racial discriminatory policy known as apartheid under the banner of African National
Congress(ANC). He was imprisoned by the White minority Government for 28 years. After his release and
the election followed he became the President.