Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 4 Electoral Politics
Chapter 4 Electoral Politics
Chapter 4 Electoral Politics
Jagdeep and Navpreet read this story and drew the following conclusions. Can you say which of
these are right or wrong (or if the information given in the story is inadequate to call them right or
wrong):
CHECK Elections can lead to changes in the policy of the government.
The Governor invited Devi Lal to become the Chief Minister because he was impressed with his
YOUR speeches.
PROGRESS People are unhappy with every ruling party and vote against it in the next election.
The party that wins the election forms the government.
This election led to a lot of economic development in Haryana.
The Congress Chief Minister need not have resigned after his party lost elections.
ELECTORAL POLITICS 57
But can we call this place a
democracy? How do we find out if
A C T I V I T Y the people like their representatives
or not? How do we ensure that these
Do you know when the last Assembly election representatives rule as per the
was held in your state? Which other elections wishes of the people? How to make
have taken place in your locality in the last five sure that those who the people don’t
years? Write down the level of elections (National, like do not remain their
Assembly, Panchayat, etc.), when were they held representatives? This requires a
and the name and designation (MP, MLA, etc.) of mechanism by which people can
the persons who got elected from your area. choose their representatives at
regular intervals and change them
W h y do w
wee nee
needd ele
elecc tions? if they wish to do so. This
Elections take place regularly in any mechanism is called election.
democracy. We noted in Chapter Therefore, elections are considered
One that there are more than one essential in our times for any
hundred countries in the world in representative democracy.
which elections take place to choose In an election the voters make
people’s representatives. We also many choices:
read that elections are held in many They can choose who will make
countries that are not democratic. laws for them. We have seen why
But why do we need elections? They can choose who will form the democracies need
Let us try to imagine a democracy government and take major to have elections.
without elections. A rule of the decisions. But why do rulers
people is possible without any They can choose the party whose in non-democratic
elections if all the people can sit policies will guide the government countries need to
together everyday and take all the and law making. hold elections?
decisions. But as we have already
seen in Chapter Two, this is not W h aatt makes an ele
makes elecc tion
possible in any large community. democr
democraa tic?
Nor is it possible for everyone to Elections can be held in many ways.
have the time and knowledge to All democratic countries hold
take decisions on all matters. elections. But most non-democratic
Therefore in most democracies countries also hold some kind of
people rule through their elections. How do we distinguish
representatives. democratic elections from any other
Is there a democratic way of election? We have discussed this
selecting representatives without question briefly in Chapter Two. We
elections? Let us think of a place discussed many examples of
where representatives are selected countries where elections are held
on the basis of age and experience. but they can’t really be called
Or a place where they are chosen democratic elections. Let us recall
on the basis of education or what we learnt there and start with
knowledge. There could be some a simple list of the minimum
difficulty in deciding on who is more conditions of a democratic election:
experienced or knowledgable. But let First, everyone should be able to
us say the people can resolve these choose. This means that everyone
difficulties. Clearly, such a place should have one vote and every
does not require elections. vote should have equal value.
58 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
Second, there should be may wish to serve the country do not
something to choose from. Parties enter this arena. They do not like the
and candidates should be free to idea of being dragged into unhealthy
contest elections and should offer competition.
some real choice to the voters. Our Constitution makers were
Third, the choice should be offered aware of these problems. Yet they
at regular intervals. Elections must opted for free competition in
be held regularly after every few elections as the way to select our
years. future leaders. They did so because
Fourth, the candidate preferred by this system works better in the long
the people should get elected. run. In an ideal world all political
Fifth, elections should be leaders know what is good for the
conducted in a free and fair people and are motivated only by a
manner where people can choose desire to serve them. Political
as they really wish. competition is not necessary in such
These might look like very simple an ideal world. But that is not what
and easy conditions. But there are happens in real life. Political leaders
all over the world, like all other
many countries where these are not
professionals, are motivated by a
fulfilled. In this chapter we will apply
desire to advance their political
these conditions to the elections held
careers. They want to remain in
in our own country to see if we can
power or get power and positions for
call these democratic elections.
themselves.They may wish to serve
the people as well, but it is risky to
I s it good ttoo ha
havv e political depend entirely on their sense of
c ompetition? duty. Besides even when they wish
Elections are thus all about political to serve the people, they may not
competition. This competition takes know what is required to do so, or
various forms. The most obvious form their ideas may not match what the
is the competition among political people really want.
parties. At the constituency level, it How do we deal with this real life
takes the form of competition among situation? One way is to try and
several candidates. If there is no improve the knowledge and character
competition, elections will become of political leaders. The other and
pointless. more realistic way is to set up a
But is it good to have political system where political leaders are
competition? Clearly, an electoral rewarded for serving the people and
competition has many demerits. It punished for not doing so. Who
creates a sense of disunity and decides this reward or punishment?
‘factionalism’ in every locality. You The simple answer is: the people.
would have heard of people This is what electoral competition
complaining of ‘party-politics’ in your does. Regular electoral competition
locality. Different political parties and provides incentives to political
Ah! So, elections leaders often level allegations against parties and leaders. They know that
are like exams one another. Parties and candidates if they raise issues that people want
where politicians often use dirty tricks to win elections. to be raised, their popularity and
and parties know if Some people say that this pressure chances of victory will increase in
they have passed to win electoral fights does not allow the next elections. But if they fail to
or failed. But who sensible long-term policies to be satisfy the voters with their work
are the examiners? formulated. Some good people who they will not be able to win again.
ELECTORAL POLITICS 59
So if a political party is motivated customers. If he does not, the
only by desire to be in power, even customer will go to some other shop.
then it will be forced to serve the Similarly, political competition may read
people. This is a bit like the way cause divisions and some ugliness, the
market works. Even if a shopkeeper but it finally helps to force political
is interested only in his profit, he is parties and leaders to serve the cartoon
forced to give good service to the people.
Irfan Khan
Read these two cartoons carefully. Write the message of each of them in
your own words. Have a discussion in class on which of the two is closer
to the reality in your own locality. Draw a cartoon to depict what elections
do to the relationship between voters and political leaders.
60 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
For Lok Sabha elections, the country constituency has within it several
is divided into 543 constituencies. assembly constituencies. The same
The representative elected from each principle applies for Panchayat and
constituency is called a Member of Municipal elections. Each village or
Parliament or an MP. One of the town is divided into several ‘wards’
features of a democratic election is that are like constituencies. Each
that every vote should have equal ward elects one member of the
value. That is why our Constitution village or the urban local body.
requires that each constituency Sometimes these constituencies are
should have a roughly equal counted as ‘seats’, for each
population living within it. constituency represents one seat in
Similarly, each state is divided into the assembly. When we say that ‘Lok
a specific number of Assembly Dal won 60 seats’ in Haryana, it
constituencies. In this case, the means that candidates of Lok Dal
elected representative is called the won in 60 assembly constituencies
Member of Legislative Assembly or in the state and thus Lok Dal had
an MLA. Each Parliamentary 60 MLAs in the state assembly.
ALAND
CHINCHOLI GULBARGA
GULBARGA
AFZALPUR
CHITAPUR
SHAHBAD
SEDAM
JEVARGI
GURMITKAL
YADGIR
ELECTORAL POLITICS 61
R eser
eservv e d CConstituencies
onstituencies local bodies are now reserved for
Our Constitution entitles every citizen Other Backward Classes (OBC) as
to elect her/his representative and to well. However, the proportion of
be elected as a representative. The seats reserved varies from state to
Constitution makers, however, were state. Similarly, one-third of the
worried that in an open electoral seats are reserved in rural and
competition, certain weaker sections urban local bodies for women
may not stand a good chance to get candidates.
elected to the Lok Sabha and the state
Legislative Assemblies. They may not Vo tters
ers
ers’’ list
have the required resources, Once the constituencies are decided,
education and contacts to contest and the next step is to decide who can
win elections against others. Those and who cannot vote. This decision
who are influential and resourceful cannot be left to anyone till the last
may prevent them from winning day. In a democratic election, the list
elections. If that happens, our of those who are eligible to vote
Parliament and Assemblies would be is prepared much before the
deprived of the voice of a significant election and given to everyone. This
section of our population. That would list is officially called the Electoral
make our democracy less Roll and is commonly known as the
representative and less democratic. Voters’ List.
So, the makers of our Constitution This is an important step for it is
thought of a special system of linked to the first condition of a
reserved constituencies for the democratic election: everyone
weaker sections. Some constituencies should get an equal opportunity to
are reserved for people who belong choose representatives. In Chapter
to the Scheduled Castes [SC] and One we read about the principle of
Scheduled Tribes [ST]. In a SC universal adult franchise. In practice
reserved constituency only someone it means that everyone should have
who belongs to the Scheduled one vote and each vote should have
Castes can stand for election. equal value. No one should be
Similarly only those belonging to the denied the right to vote without a
Scheduled Tribes can contest an good reason. Different citizens differ
election from a constituency from one another in many ways:
reserved for ST. Currently, in the some are rich, some are poor; some
Lok Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for are highly educated, some are not
the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the so educated or not educated at all;
Scheduled Tribes (as on 1 September some are kind, others are not so
2012). This number is in proportion kind. But all of them are human
to their share in the total population. beings with their own needs and
Thus the reserved seats for SC and views. That is why all of them
ST do not take away the legitimate deserve to have an equal say in Like in Panchayats,
share of any other social group. decisions that affect them. should we not have
This system of reservation In our country, all the citizens aged at least one-third
was extended later to other 18 years and above can vote in an seats in the
weaker sections at the district and election. Every citizen has the right parliament and
local level. In many states, seats to vote, regardless of his or her caste, assemblies
in rural (panchayat) and urban religion or gender. Some criminals reserved for
(municipalities and corporations) and persons with unsound mind can women?
62 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
LOK SABHA CONSTITUENCIES
GENERAL 412
RESERVED (SC) 84
RESERVED (ST) 47
STATES CONSTITUENCIES
Andhra Pradesh 25
Arunachal Pradesh 2
Assam 14
Bihar 40
Chhattisgarh 11
Goa 2
Gujarat 26
Haryana 10
Himachal Pradesh 4
Election Commission of India
ELECTORAL POLITICS 63
be denied the right to vote, but only Recently, a new system of
in rare situations. It is the declaration has been introduced on
responsibility of the government to direction from the Supreme Court.
get the names of all the eligible Every candidate has to make a legal
voters put on the voters’ list. As new declaration, giving full details of :
persons attain voting age names are Serious criminal cases pending
added to the voters’ list. Names of against the candidate;
those who move out of a place or Details of the assets and liabilities
those who are dead are deleted. A of the candidate and his or her
complete revision of the list takes family; and
place every five years. This is done Education qualifications of the
to ensure that it remains up to date. candidate.
In the last few years a new system This information has to be made
of Election Photo Identity Card public. This provides an opportunity
[EPIC] has been introduced. The to the voters to make their decision
government has tried to give this on the basis of the information
card to every person on the voters provided by the candidates.
list. The voters are required to carry
this card when they go out to vote, Educational qualifications for
so that no one can vote for someone candidates
else. But the card is not yet
compulsory for voting. For voting, Why is there no educational qualification for
the voters can show many other holding such an important position when some
proofs of identity like the ration card kind of educational qualification is needed for any
or the driving licence. other job in the country?
Educational qualifications are not relevant to
N omination of candida
omination candidatte s all kinds of jobs. The relevant qualification for
We noted above that in a democratic selection to the Indian cricket team, for
election people should have a real example, is not the attainment of educational
choice. This happens only when degrees but the ability to play cricket well.
there are almost no restrictions on Similarly the relevant qualification for being an
anyone to contest an election. This MLA or an MP is the ability to understand
is what our system provides. Any- people’s concerns, problems and to represent
one who can be a voter can also be- their interests. Whether they can do so or not
come a candidate in elections. The is examined by lakhs of examiners — their
only difference is that in order to be voters — after every five years.
a candidate the minimum age is 25 Even if education was relevant, it should be
years, while it is only 18 years for left to the people to decide how much
being a voter. There are some other impor tance they give to educational
restrictions on criminals etc. but qualifications.
these apply in very extreme cases. In our countr y putting an educational
Political parties nominate their can- qualification would go against the spirit of
didates who get the party symbol democracy for yet another reason. It would
and support. Party’s nomination is mean depriving a majority of the country’s
often called party ‘ticket’. citizens the right to contest elections. If, for Why are the
Every person who wishes to example, a graduate degree like B.A., B.Com candidates
contest an election has to fill a or B.Sc was made compulsory for candidates, required to give a
‘nomination form’ and give some more than 90 per cent of the citizens will detailed statement
money as ‘security deposit’. become ineligible to contest elections. of their property?
64 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
Chief Electoral Officer, Mizoram
ELECTORAL POLITICS 65
Match the following features of our electoral system with the principles they reflect.
Principles Features of election system
Universal adult franchise
Each constituency has roughly the same population CHECK
Representation of
Everyone who is 18 years of age or older has a right to vote
YOUR
weaker sections
PROGRESS
Open political competition Anyone can form a party or contest elections
One vote one value
Reservation of seats for the SCs and the STs
is a good policy. This is what happens Gandhi gave the slogan of Garibi
during election campaigns. Hatao (Remove poverty) in the
In our country such campaigns Lok Sabha elections of 1971. The
take place for a two-week period party promised to reorient all the
between the announcement of the policies of the government to
final list of candidates and the date remove poverty from the country.
Save Democracy was the slogan
of polling. During this period the
candidates contact their voters, given by Janata Party in the next
political leaders address election Lok Sabha election held in 1977.
The party promised to undo the
meetings and political parties
excesses committed during
mobilise their supporters. This is
Emergency and restore civil liberties.
also the period when newspapers
The Left Front used the slogan of
and television news are full of
Land to the Tiller in the West
election related stories and debates.
Bengal Assembly elections held in
But election campaign is not limited
1977.
to these two weeks only. Political
‘Protect the Self-Respect of the
parties start preparing for elections Telugus’ was the slogan used by
months before they actually take N. T. Rama Rao, the leader of the
place. Telugu Desam Party in Andhra
Pradesh Assembly elections in
1983.
A C T I V I T Y In a democracy it is best to leave
political parties and candidates free
to conduct their election campaigns
What was the election campaign like in your the way they want to. But it is
constituency in the last Lok Sabha elections? sometimes necessary to regulate
Prepare a list of what the candidates and parties campaigns to ensure that every
said and did. political party and candidate gets a
66 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
fair and equal chance to compete. Use government vehicles, aircrafts
According to our election law, no and officials for elections; and
party or candidate can: Once elections are announced,
Bribe or threaten voters; Ministers shall not lay foundation
Appeal to them in the name of stones of any projects, take any big
caste or religion; policy decisions or make any
Use government resources for promises of providing public facilities.
election campaign; and
Spend more than Rs. 25 lakh in a Polling and ccoun
ounting of vvot
ounting ot
otee s
constituency for a Lok Sabha election The final stage of an election is the
or Rs. 10 lakh in a constituency in day when the voters cast or ‘poll’
an Assembly election. their vote. That day is usually called
If they do so, their election can be the election day. Every person whose
rejected by the court even after they name is on the voters’ list can go to
have been declared elected. In a nearby ‘polling booth’, situated
addition to the laws, all the political usually in a local school or a
parties in our country have agreed government office. Once the voter
to a Model Code of Conduct for goes inside the booth, the election
election campaigns. According to officials identify her, put a mark on
this, no party or candidate can: her finger and allow her to cast her
Use any place of worship for vote. An agent of each candidate is
election propaganda; allowed to sit inside the polling booth
and ensure that the voting takes
Draw a cartoon here about the Model Code of Conduct place in a fair way.
for the guidance of political parties and candidates
Are the elections too expensive
during elections. for our country?
A large amount of money is spent in conducting
elections in India. For instance, the government
spent about Rs.1,300 crores in conducting Lok
Sabha elections in 2004. That works out to about
Rs. 20 per person on the voters’ list. The amount
spent by parties and candidates was more than
what the government spent. Roughly speaking,
the expenditure made by government, parties and
candidates was around Rs. 3,000 crores or Rs. 50
per voter.
Some people say that elections are a burden
on our people, that our poor country cannot afford
to hold elections once every five years. Let us
compare this expenditure with some other figures:
In 2005, our government decided to buy six
nuclear submarines from France. Each subma-
rine cost about Rs. 3,000 crores.
Delhi hosted the Commonwealth Games in
2010. The estimate for its cost is more than
Rs. 10,000 crores.
Are the elections too expensive? You decide.
ELECTORAL POLITICS 67
Election result in Gulbarga
Let us go back to our example of Gulbarga. In 2004, a total of 11 candidates contested elections in that
constituency. The total eligible voters were 14.39 lakhs. Of these 8.28 lakh voters had cast their
votes. The candidate of the Congress party, Iqbal Ahmed Saradgi secured about 3.12 lakh votes.
This was only about 38 percent of the total votes polled. But since he had secured more votes than
anyone else, he was declared elected a Member of Parliament from Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency.
68 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
4.3 WHAT MAKES ELECTIONS IN INDIA
DEMOCRATIC? the judiciary enjoys. The Chief
We get to read a lot about unfair Election Commissioner (CEC) is
practices in elections. Newspapers appointed by the President of India.
and television reports often refer to But once appointed, the Chief
such allegations. Most of these Election Commissioner is not
reports are about the following: answerable to the President or the
Inclusion of false names and government. Even if the ruling party
exclusion of genuine names in the or the government does not like what
voters’ list; the Commission does, it is virtually
Misuse of government facilities impossible for it to remove the CEC.
and officials by the ruling party; Very few election commissions in
Excessive use of money by rich the world have such wide-ranging
candidates and big parties; and powers as the Election Commission
Intimidation of voters and rigging of India.
on the polling day. EC takes decisions on every aspect
Many of these reports are correct. of conduct and control of elections
We feel unhappy when we read or from the announcement of elections
see such reports. But fortunately to the declaration of results.
they are not on such a scale so as to It implements the Code of Conduct
defeat the very purpose of elections. and punishes any candidate or
This becomes clear if we ask a basic party that violates it.
question: Can a party win an During the election period, the EC
election and come to power not can order the government to follow
because it has popular support but some guidelines, to prevent use and
through electoral malpractices? This misuse of governmental power to
is a vital question. Let us carefully enhance its chances to win
examine various aspects of this elections, or to transfer some
question. government officials.
When on election duty, government
Independen
Independentt Ele
Elecc tion officers work under the control of
C ommission the EC and not the government.
One simple way of checking whether In the last fifteen years or so, the
elections are fair or not is to look at Election Commission has begun to
who conducts the elections. Are they exercise all its powers and even
independent of the government? Or expand them. It is very common now
can the government or the ruling party for the Election Commission to
influence or pressurise them? Do they reprimand the government and
have enough powers to be able to administration for their lapses. When
conduct free and fair elections? Do election officials come to the opinion
they actually use these powers? that polling was not fair in some booths
Why does the The answer to all these questions or even an entire constituency, they
Election is quite positive for our country. In order a repoll. The ruling parties often
Commission have our country elections are conducted do not like what the EC does. But they
so much powers? by an independent and very powerful have to obey. This would not have
Is this good for Election Commission (EC). It enjoys happened if the EC was not
democracy? the same kind of independence that independent and powerful.
ELECTORAL POLITICS 69
Photo I-cards not mandatory in Biha
EC issues notification constituting 14th r
polls
Lok Sabha CHECK
EC tightens norms for poll expenses EC accepts new Haryana DGP YOUR
EC will seek power to censure PROGRESS
political ads
again, revi ew poll
EC to visit Gujarat
arrangements EC says no immediate plan to ban
Exit Polls
HC asks EC to bar ‘criminal’ netas
Read these headlines carefully and identify which powers are used by the Election Commission in each
instance to ensure free and fair elections.
90
UK
80 78 INDIA
70 72
VOTER TURNOUT (%)
60 62 60 61
58 59 58
56
50
40
30
20
10
1991 2005
ELECTION YEAR
70 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
2 In India the poor, illiterate and 4 The interest of voters in election-
underprivileged people vote in related activities has been
larger proportion as compared to increasing over the years. During
the rich and privileged sections. the 2004 elections, more than one-
This is in contrast to western third voters took part in a
democracies. For example in the campaign-related activities. More
United States of America, poor than half of the people identified
people, African Americans and themselves as being close to one
Hispanics vote much less than the or the other political party. One out
rich and the white people. of every seven voters is a member
of a political party.
2 VOTER TURNOUT IN INDIA AND US BY SOCIAL GROUPS, 2004 4 THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN ANY
ELECTION RELATED ACTIVITY IN INDIA
INDIA US Source: National Election Study 1996-2004, CSDS.
70
60 61 60
56 58 56
VOTER TURNOUT (%)
60
50
40 40 32
28
30 30
21
(%)
20 20 13
8
10 10
A c cceptanc
eptanc
eptancee of ele
elecc tion
15% outcc ome
out
One final test of the free and fairness
18% of election has in the outcome itself.
Has effect 67% If elections are not free or fair, the
outcome always favours the powerful.
Has no effect
Source: National Election In such a situation, the ruling parties
Study 2004, CSDS. Don’t know do not lose elections. Usually, the
ELECTORAL POLITICS 71
losing party does not accept the
outcome of a rigged election.
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.
In the US, an incumbent or ‘sitting’
elected representative rarely loses
Irfan Khan
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 The leader is coming out of a press
criminal connections often lose conference: “What was the need to say that we
read
elections. have distributed tickets only amongst suitable the
Barring very few disputed and winnable family relations?” Do you think
elections, the electoral outcomes that family politics is confined to only a few
cartoon
are usually accepted as ‘people’s states or parties?
verdict’ by the defeated party.
Titled ‘Electoral
C hallenges ttoo free and fair
free Campaigns’, this
ele
elecc tions cartoon was drawn in
All this leads to a simple conclusion: Questions of this kind bring the the Latin American
elections in India are basically free many limitations and challenges of context. Does this
and fair. The party that wins an elec- Indian elections to our attention. apply to India
tion and forms government does so These include : and to other
because people have chosen it over democracies
its rivals. This may not be true for in the world?
every constituency. A few candidates
may win purely on the basis of
72 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
Is this an accurate
picture of what
happens to the voter
before and after
elections? Must this
always happen in a
democracy? Can you
think of examples
when this did not
happen?
read
the
R.K. Laxman, The Times of India
cartoon
Here are some facts on Indian elections. Comment on each of these to say whether they reflect the
strength or the weakness of our electoral system:
The Lok Sabha has had less than 10 per cent women members till 2009.
CHECK The Election Commission often refuses to accept the government’s advice about when the elec-
YOUR tions should be held.
The 14th Lok Sabha has more than 145 members whose assets are more than Rs.1 crore.
PROGRESS After losing an election the Chief Minister said: “I respect the people’s verdict”.
ELECTORAL POLITICS 73
Booth capturing: Supporters or hired musclemen of party or a candidate
gain physical control of a polling booth and cast false votes by
threatening everyone or by preventing genuine voters from reaching
the polling booth. GLOSSARY
Code of Conduct: A set of norms and guidelines to be followed by political
parties and contesting candidates during election time.
Constituency: Voters in a geographical area who elect a representative to
the legislative bodies.
Incumbent: The current holder of a political office. Usually the choice for
the voters in elections is between the incumbent party or candidate and
those who oppose them.
Level playing field: Condition in which all parties and candidates contesting
in an election have equal opportunities to appeal for votes and to carry out
election campaign.
Rigging: Fraud and malpractices indulged by a party or candidate to increase
its votes. It includes stuffing ballot boxes by a few persons using the votes of
others; recording multiple votes by the same person; and bribing or coercing
polling officers to favour a candidate.
Turnout: The percentage of eligible voters who cast their votes in an election.
1 Which of the following statements about the reasons for conducting exercises
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.
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.
74 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
exercises
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.
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?
ELECTORAL POLITICS 75
him elected. The court later found out that more than five lakh exercises
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 Chaudhry
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.
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.
Assembly elections are usually held every year in a few states of the country.
You can collect information about the elections that take place during this
session. While collecting news items, divide these into three parts:
Important events that took place before the election – main agenda
discussed by political parties; information about people’s demand;
role of the Election Commission.
Important events on the day of the election and counting – turnout
in elections; reports of malpractice; re-polls; the types of predictions
made; and the final outcome.
Post elections – reasons offered by political parties for winning or
losing elections; analysis of the election verdict by the media;
selection of the Chief Minister.
76 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS
77