SOCIAL SCIENCE NOTES- POLITICAL SCIENCE

QUESTION BANK ELECTORAL POLITICS

CLASS IX SESSION: 2020-21
Q1. What is an Election? What is the minimum conditions for a democratic election?
OR
Do people have real choice in a democratic election? NB
Election is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals and
change them if they wish. Minimum conditions for a democratic election are as follows
 Everyone should be able to choose. This means that everyone should have one vote and
every vote should have equal value.
 Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice
to the voters.
 The choice should be offered at regular intervals.
 The candidates preferred by the people should get elected.
 Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner, where people can choose as they
wish.
Q2. Why do we need elections?/What choices do people make through elections?
Modern representative democracies are so large that it is not possible for everyone to sit together
and take decision on all the matters. This is done through elections. In election people or voters
make following decision form the goons:
 People can choose who will make law for them.
 They can choose who form the government and take major decisions.
 They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government.
Q3. What makes an election democratic? NB

 Everyone should have one vote and every vote should have same value.
 Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice.
 Elections must be held on a regular interval.
 The candidates preferred by the voters should get elected.
 Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner.
Q4. What is a political competition? Is it good to have political competition?
Political competition means competitions among the political parties at the time of election. At the
constituency level there is competition among several candidates.
It is good to have a political competition on the following ground:
 Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and leaders.
 They know if they raise issues that people want to be raised their popularities and chances
of victory will increase in the next election.
 So, if a political party is motivated only by desire to be in power even then it will be forced
to serve the people.

Q5. What are merits and the demerits in Electoral competition? NB

 MERITS:
 In an ideal world, all political leaders know what is good for the people and are motivated
only by a desire to serve them.
 Our constitution makers opted for free competition in elections as the way to select our
future leaders, because this system works better in the long term.
 Political leaders are motivated by a desire in their political careers. They want to remain in
power to get power and position for themselves for which, they can compete with other
political parties.
DEMERITS:
 It creates disunity and factionalism in the society.
 Different political parties and candidates often level allegation against each other.
 Dirty tricks are used by the parties or the candidates to win the election.
 Pressure to win the election does not allow sensible long term policies to be formulated.
 Some good people may wish to serve the country do not enter the arena.
Q6. What are Reserved Constituencies? Why is reservation to Lok Sabha / Vidhan Sabha or
Panchayat necessary? NB
Out of 543 Lok Shaba seats 84 have been reserved for Scheduled Caste people and 47 seats for
Scheduled Tribes.
 This system of reservation is extended to Vidhan Sabha and Panchayat and Municipal
Corporations.
 Makers of our Constitution were worried that certain weaker sections in the society may not
be able to get elected to parliament and State Parliament.
 Reserved seats are necessary because the required resources, education and contacts to
contest and win election against others.
 One third of the seats are reserved in rural and urban local bodies for women candidates.
 One-thir
Q7. Describe the procedure for nomination of candidates for elections in India.

The main features of the procedure for nominations of candidates for elections in India are as
follows:
In India anyone who is a voter can contest election provided he has attained the age of 25 years.
 Political parties nominate their candidates who get the party symbol and support.
 Candidates who are contesting election have to fill a nomination form and give some
money as security deposit.
 Now as per the direction of the Supreme Court every candidates has to make a legal
declaration giving the following information:
 Serious criminal cases pending against the candidates.
 Details of the assets and liabilities of the candidates and his or her family.
 Educational qualification of the candidates.
Q8. State the various election laws during the election campaign for a party or candidate to
follow to ensure the free and equal chance in Election.Or

What are the election laws in India? NB

 According to our election law neither party nor any candidate can bribe or threaten voters.
 They should not appeal to the voters in the name of caste or religion.
 They should not use government resources for election campaign like govt. vehicles or
places etc.
 A candidate should not spend more than 25 lakhs in a constituency for Lok Sabha election
and10 lakhs for Vidhan Sabha election.
 If any of the above is violated their election can be rejected by the court even after they
had been declared elected.
Q9. What is a Ballot paper? How EVM is more effective than Ballot paper system?
 A ballot paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting candidates along
with party name and symbols are listed.
Electronic Voting Machine (EVM ) is more effective because:
 It is easy to carry.
 Votes can be cast easily and faster to count.
 Delay in the declaration of results can be avoided
 It is not possible to manipulate with the EVM.
Q10. What is a Model Code of Conduct?
Or
Examine the main clauses of the Model Mode Of Conduct issued for election campaign. NB

Code of conduct: A set of norms and guidelines to be followed by political parties and contesting
candidates during election time.
According to this no party or candidate can:
 Use any place of worship for election propaganda.
 Use government vehicles ,aircrafts and officials for election and
 Once elections are announced Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of any projects,
take any policy decisions or make any decisions or make any promises of providing public
facilities.
Q11. Elections in India are free and fair.” Justify the statement.
 The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level.
 In the US a sitting elected representative rarely loses an election. In India half of the MPs
MLAs lose elections.
 Candidates who are known to have spent a lot of money buying votes and those who
known with criminal connections often lose elections.
 Apart from very few disputed elections the electoral outcomes are usually accepted as
people’s verdict by the defeated party.
Q12. What are the challenges and limitations of free and fair elections in India? NB
 Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not sure of their victory but 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 the relatives
from these families.
 Very often election offer very little choice to ordinary citizens as all the major parties are
similar to each other both in policies and practice.
 Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage compared to bigger
parties
Q13. Describe the allegations leveled by the media regarding the unfair practices in the elections.

 Inclusion of false names and exclusion of genuine names.

 Misuse of government facilities and officials by the ruling party.
  Excessive use of money by rich candidates or big party.
 Intimidation of voters and rigging on the polling day.
Q14. What are the powers and functions of the Election Commission?
OR
“India have a very powerful and Independent Election commission” Do you agree?
Justify your answer. NB
 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 governments to follow some guidelines.
 When on election duty governments officers work under the control of the EC.
 When election officers work under the control of the EC and not the government.
Q15. What does ‘voter turnout’ during election in India signify?

 People’s participation in elections is usually measured by the voter turnout figures.

Turnout indicates the percent of eligible voters who actually cast their votes.
 In India, the poor, illiterate and the under privileged people vote in larger proportion as
compared tothe rich and privileged sections.
 Common people in India attach a lot of importance to elections. They feel that through
elections, they can bring pressure on the political parties to adopt policies and programmes
favourable for them.
 The interest of voters, in election-related activities, has been increasing over the years.
Q16. What is a voters list? Why do you think the voters list need to be revised? NB

 In a democratic election a list is prepared by the government with the names of all eligible
voters of the country. This list officially known as the Electoral Roll and commonly known
as the Voter’s List.
 It is the responsibility of the government to revise this list in every 5 yrs. This is done to
ensure that it remains update.

OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:

Q1What is our System of Election? Differentiate between General Elections and By-elections.
Elections are held in India in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) regularly after every 5 years.
After 5 years, the term of all the elected representatives comes to an end.
Elections held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same day or within a few days is
called a General Election. Sometimes elections are held only for one constituency to fill the vacancy
caused by death or resignation of a member. This is called a By-Election
Q2 )
(a) Define Electoral constituencies
(b) Who is an MP?
(c) Who is an MLA?
Ans 2 (a)India is divided into different areas for the purpose of elections. These areas are
called electoral constituencies. The voters who live in an area elect one representative.

(b) For Lok Sabha elections, India is divided into 543 constituencies. The representative elected
from each constituency is called a Member of Parliament or an MP.

(c) Each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies. In this case, the elected
representative is called the Member of Legislative Assembly or an MLA. Each Parliamentary
constituency has within it several assembly constituencies.

Q3 Write a note on municipal and Panchayat elections.

OR
Q3 What are wards?

The same principle applies for Panchayat and Municipal elections. Each village or town is divided into
several ‘wards’ that are like constituencies. Each ward elects one member of the village or the urban
local body. Sometimes these constituencies are counted as ‘seats’, for each constituency represents one
seat in the assembly.
Q 4 What is EPIC? NB
Ans In the last few years, a new system of Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) has been introduced.
The voters are required to carry this card when they go out to vote so that no one can vote in their
place.
Q5 What is a Party Ticket?

Ans Political parties nominate their candidates who get the party support and symbol. Party’s
nomination is often called Party Ticket. The candidate has to fill a nomination form and give some
money as a security deposit.

Q6 Which body is responsible for conducting Elections in India? Who heads this body?

Or

Q Who is the head of the election Commission? By whom is he appointed? NB

Ans In our country, elections are conducted by an independent and very powerful body, known as
Election Commission.

The Chief Election Commissioner. (CEC) is appointed by the President of India, and is, not
answerable to the President or the government.

The election commission takes decisions on each and every aspect of the elections.

Q7 Mention some of the malpractices reported during the election process.

 Ans

 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.
 Intimidation of voters and rigging on the polling day.

Q 8 “The outcome of India’s elections speaks for itself.” Explain.

 The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level. In fact, in
every two out of three elections held in the last 15 years, the ruling party lost.
 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.
 Barring very few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are usually accepted as people’s
verdict by the defeated party.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Social Science Civics Chapter 4 Electoral Politics

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.
Answer:
(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.

Answer:
(a) India has the largest number of voters in the world.

3. Match the following:

(a) It is necessary to keep the voters’ list up to date (i) there is a fair representation of all sections of our socie

because
(b) Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs (ii) everyone has equal opportunity to elect their

so that representatives

(c) Everyone has one and only one vote so that (iii) all candidates must have a fair chance of competing i

elections

(d) Party in power is not allowed to use government (iv) some people may have moved away from the area wh

vehicles because they voted last

Answer:

(a) It is necessary to keep the voters’ list up to date (iv) some people may have moved away from the area

because where they voted last

(b) Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and (i) there is a fair representation of all sections of our socie

STs so that

(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 (iii) all candidates must have a fair chance of competing i
government vehicles because elections

Page No: 75

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.
Answer:
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.

5. Surekha is an officer-in-charge of ensuring free and fair elections in an assembly constituency

in a state. Describe what should she focus on for each of the following stages of election:
(a) Election campaign
(b) Polling day
(c) Counting day
Answer:
(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 voters in the name of
religion or caste, they not use worship place for a campaign or use any government resources.

(b) She will have to crosscheck the voters’ list and check the ID proof of the voters, booth capturing
not take place. Ensure that Free and fair elections should be conducted.

(c) She has to look on counting is carried out, representatives of all parties present at the 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?
Answer:
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.
Answer:
(a) The Election Commission of India is powerful enough to conduct free and fair elections:

 It implements the code of conduct and punishes any candidate or party that violates it.
 In Elections, Government officials work under the EC and not the government.

(b) There is a high level of popular participation in the elections:

 Voter turnout has increased over the past years.

 Election-related activities in the last few years have seen larger participation by the people.

(c) It is not very easy for the party in power to win an election:

 The ruling parties routinely lose elections.

 Candidates who are known to spend a lot of money often lose elections.

(d) Certain Reforms are necessary to make our elections completely free and fair:

 To ensure that independents and small parties not suffer in elections.

 To ensure candidates with criminal records not participate.

8. Chinappa was convicted of 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?
Answer:
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.

Page No: 76

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 statements and campaign were 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 the 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.
Answer:
(a) After the announcement of the election, it is not legal to announce policy decisions according to the
Code of Conduct. The minister should be immediately taken to task by the Election Commission.

(b) The election commission must ensure that all political parties are given equal opportunity to appear
on Doordarshan and All India Radio. EC takes action against the misuse of this media.

(c) The presence of the fake voters means that the elections were rigged by the authorities who
prepared the electoral rolls. The election commission should supervise the 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 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.
Answer:
(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 capable of taking decisions on their own and selecting the
candidate they like.

(b) Competition works as both deterrent and motivator for the political candidate s. Fear of losing the
election and 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.

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