SST – Grade 9

Democratic Politics - I
ELECTORAL POLITICS
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Kwl
Learning Objective
• To understand the meaning of democratic elections and the need for it.
• To analyse the Indian system of elections

1. Define the election system in India.

Election is defined as a mechanism or process by which people can choose
their representatives at regular intervals and change them when they wish
to do so.

2. What makes an election democratic?

i) Everyone should be able to choose the leader.
ii) Everyone should have one vote and every vote should have one value.
iii) Parties and candidates should offer real choice to the voters.
iv) Choice must be offered at regular intervals.
v) The candidate preferred by people should get elected.
vi) Conduct of a free and fair election.

3. Give any three merits of political competition.

i) Leaders shall raise issues that people want to be raised.
ii) Even if a political leader is motivated only by desire to be in power,
he will be forced to serve the people.
iii) Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties
and leaders.

4. Write a short note on reserved constituencies.

i) Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled
Castes [SC] and Scheduled Tribes [ST]
ii) In a SC reserved constituency only someone who belongs to the Scheduled
Caste can stand for election.
iii) Similarly only those who belongs to the Scheduled Tribes can contest an
election from a constituency reserved for ST.

5. Establish that elections in India are a democratic affair.

1. Independent Election Commission:
a) Elections in India are conducted by an independent and powerful Election
Commission.
b) The Chief Election Commissioner appointed by the President of India is not
answerable to either the President or the Government
2. Popular Participation
 a) People participate in election process with much enthusiasm.
b) Over the last 50 years India’s voter turnout has either remained stable or
gone up.

3. Acceptance of election outcome

a) In India elections are free and fair. Hence the ruling parties routinely lose
elections.
b) Electoral results are accepted by the defeating parties as people’s verdict.

6. Describe the major challenges to free and fair elections.

i) Candidates and parties with a lot of money enjoy a big and unfair advantage
over smaller parties.
ii) Candidates with criminal background have managed to secure a party ticket
to contest elections from major parties.
iii) Party tickets are distributed to the relatives of some families which
tend to dominate political parties.
iv) Elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens as the parties are
similar to each other in policies and practice.
v) Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage
compared to bigger parties.

7. Explain the important procedures associated with democratic elections.

i) Electoral Constituencies:
a)Country is divided into different areas for election contest.
b) For Lok Sabha elections, the country is divided into 543
constituencies.
c) Each state is divided into a number of Assembly Constituencies.
ii) Voter’s List or Electoral Roll:
a) List of those who are eligible to vote.
c) Citizens aged 18 years and above can vote.
iii) Nomination of Candidates:
a) Any voter whose age is 25 years and above can be a candidate.
b) Any citizen who wishes to contest an election has to fill a nomination form
and pay a security deposit.
iv) Election Campaign:
a) Candidates contact their voters.
b) Political leaders address election meetings.
v) Polling and Counting of votes:
a) During election day the voters cast or ‘poll’ their vote.
b) After polling EVMs are opened and the votes secured by each candidate
are counted.
Additional Questions

1. Define a ballot paper.

2. Write any five demerits of electoral competition.
3. Why do we need elections?
4. Differentiate general election and by-election.