IX.Chapter 3.Electoral Politics.Civics.

Class 9.
Civics. Chapter 3.

Class Notes. 

ELECTORAL POLITICS

Glossary : 

Yardstick : a measuring rod a yard long, typically divided into inches. ( मापदंड )

Expectant : having or showing an excited feeling that something is about to happen, especially something good. ( इंतिज़ार करनेवाला )

Arouses : evoke or awaken. ( जगाना )

Overwhelmingly : to a very great degree or with a great majority. ( घने )

Waiving : refrain from insisting on or using. ( छूट देना )

Incumbent :  necessary for someone as a duty or responsibility.  (निर्भर).

Disputed : argue about something.  (विवादित)

Reprimand : A formal expression of disapproval.(डांटना)

Contrast : Something that is different from another thing. (इसके विपरीत)

Confined : Limited to a particular location. (सिमित)

Inadequate :lacking the quality or quantity required; insufficient for a purpose.(अपर्याप्त)

Intimidation : means to intentionally say or do something which would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities to be fearful of bodily harm.     ( धमकी)

Factionalism :a  situation in which a group forms within a larger group, especially one with slightly different ideas from the main group. (दलबंदी)

Reorient : change the focus or direction of. ( पुनर्मिलन )

Legitimate : conforming to the law or to rules. ( वैध )

Deprived : suffering a severe and damaging lack of basic material and cultural benefits.(वंचित )

Incentives : a thing that motivates or encourages someone to do something. ( प्रोत्साहन)

Liabilities : the state of being legally responsible for something. ( देनदारियों )

Concerns : relate to. ( चिंताओं )

Malpractices : a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one such as a physician rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage. ( कदाचार )

Relevant : closely connected or appropriate to what is being done or considered.( से मिलता जुलता )

Slums : a squalid and overcrowded urban street or district inhabited by very poor people.( मलिन बस्तियों )

Ballot-paper : a slip of paper used to register a vote. ( मतपत्र, मत - पर्ची )

Mobilise : make something movable or capable of movement. ( संघटित )

Rigging : the system of ropes or chains employed to support a ship's masts standing rigging and to control or set the yards and sails. ( हेराफेरी )

Constituency : voters in a geographical area who elect a representative to the legislative bodies. (चुनाव क्षेत्र)

Allegations : a claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically one made without proof.( आरोप )

Deprived : suffering a severe and damaging lack of basic material and cultural benefits.(वंचित)

Opted : make a choice from a range of possibilities. (विकल्प चुना)

Incentives : a thing that motivates or encourages someone to do something. ( प्रोत्साहन)

Left Front :  The Left Front is an alliance of political parties in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was formed in January 1977,. He used the slogan of land to the tiller in the West Bengal assembly election held in 1977.

Important Persons.

Mr. Devi Lal : The chief of the Haryana Sangharsh Samiti.It form a new party Lok Dal.

Mallikarjun Kharge :  He was a candidate of the Congress party. In 2014 election he secured more votes than anyone else.This was 50.8 to percent of the total votes polled. So, then he was declared elected a member of parliament from Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency.

Jay Prakash Narayan : He Was leader of Janata party. In lok sabha election held in 1977 he promised to undo the excesses committed during emergency and restore civil liberties and also gave the slogan save democracy.

Indira Gandhi : She was a central figure of the Indian National Congress.  She was the first and, to date, only female Prime Minister of India. Give the slogan of garibi hatao ( Remove poverty) in the Lok Sabha election of 1971.

N.T. Rama Rao : Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR, was an Indian actor, producer, director, film editor and politician who served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for seven years over three terms.He gave the slogan ‘protect the self respect of the telugus’.He was leader of the Telugu Desam party in Andhra Pradesh assembly election in 1983.

Important Dates.
1982 - The State Haryana had been ruled by the Congress Party.

1987 - The state assembly election was held in Haryana.

1987 - Election campaign of a new party emerge as dominant party known as Lok Dal. The Lok Dal party won 76 out of 90 seats in the state assembly. The Congress could win only 5 seats, and the lok dal party had a clear majority in the assembly.

1991 - The next election were held  in Haryana. but this time lok dal party did not win popular support. Currently, in the Lok Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for the scheduled castes and 47 for the schedule tribes.

1971 - Lok Sabha election the Congress party led by Indira Gandhi gave the slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' remove poverty.

1977 -  Lok Sabha election, save democracy was the slogan given by Janata party.

1977 - In the West Bengal assembly election, the left front used the slogan of land to the tiller.

1983 -  In  Andhra Pradesh assembly election N.T. Rama Rao used the slogan, "protect the self respect of the telugus".

2005 -  Our government decided to buy 6 nuclear Submarines from France. Each Submarines cost about rs.3000 crore.

2004 -  Elections, more than one-third voters took part in a campaign-related activities.

Inside Question Answer.
Question. Free and fair elections are ensured by the____  .

Answer : Election Commission

Question. The leader, Mr. Devi Lal from Haryana is the Chief of Haryana Sangharsh Samiti, led a movement named _______ .

Answer : Nyaya Yudh

Question. What does ‘EPIC’ stand for?

Answer : Election Photo Identity Card.

Question. How many voters took part in campaign-related activities during the 2004 elections?

Answer: More than one-third voters took parts in campaign-related activities during the 2004 elections.

Question. In India, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections are held regularly after every____

Answer : Five years

Question. Sometimes, election is held only for one constituency to fill the vacancy caused by death or resignation of a member. This type of election is called _______ .

Answer : By-election

Question. In India, we follow area based system of representation. The country is divided into different areas for purposes of elections. These areas are called _______ 

Answer : Electoral constituency

Question. Each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies. The elected representative from each area is called _______ .

Answer : MLA or Member of Legislative Assembly

Question. The list of those people who are eligible to vote is officially called the Electoral Roll and is commonly known as _______ .

Answer : Voters List

Question. To be a candidate to contest the elections, the minimum age is _______ .

Answer : 25 years

Question. According to our election law, no party or candidate can _______ .

Answer : Bribe or threaten voters and appeal to them in the name of caste/religion.

Question. As per code of conduct for election campaign, _______ .

Answer : No party or candidate can use any place of worship for election propaganda.

Question. What do you mean by “Universal Adult franchises”?

Answer : Every citizen of India who is 18 years of age or above has a right to vote without discrimination of caste, creed, sex, colour, etc.

Question. The members of Election Commission are appointed by the _______ 

Answer : President of India

Question. What do you mean by voters?

Answer : People who have the right to vote or participate in the election of representatives are known as ‘voters’.

Question. Name the political party that ruled over Haryana between 1982 to 1987.

Answer : The Congress Party.

Question. What is the significance of Election Photo Identity Card?

Answer : This card is given to every person on the voter’s list. The voters are required to carry, this card when they go out to vote, so that no one can vote for someone else.

Question. Who formed a new party ‘Lok Dal’?

Answer : Chaudhary Devi Lal

Question. How many seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes in Lok Sabha?

Answer: One-third seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes in Lok Sabha.

Question. What do you mean by ‘Polling Booth’?

Answer : A polling booth is a place where voters go inside to caste their vote. Inside the booth, and election officials identify them and put a mark on their finger and allow them to cast their vote.

Question. What are elections?

Answer : It is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals.

Question. What is a constituency?

Answer :The entire country is divided into fixed electoral areas for purposes of elections. This is called constituency.

Question. What is the full form of EVM?

Answer: Electronic Voting Machine.

Question. What is the importance of Universal Adult Franchise?

Answer : It promotes the national unity and integrity. It gives a chance to people to gain political education.

Question. What do you understand by the ‘Polling Day’?

Answer :On this day, the voters cast their votes and elect their representatives.

Question 26.What are the reserved constituencies?

Answer : The constituencies that are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, are called reserved constituencies.

Question. What is general election?

Answer :The elections of the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha take place after five years. Elections are held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same day or within a few days. This is called a general election.

Question. Who is the head of the Election Commission?

Answer :The Chief Election Commissioner is the head of the Election Commission.

Question 29.What do you mean by ‘code of conduct’?

Answer : It is a set of norms and guidelines to be followed by all political parties and contesting candidates during the election time.

Question 30.What do you understanding by election manifesto?

Answer : An election manifesto is a statement by a political party explaining its policies, saying what they will do if they win the election.

Question. What is the minimum age required to contest Lok Sabha elections?

Answer :Twenty-five years.

Question. How many seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha?

Answer : 49, 79 seats.

Question.During the election’s duty, the government officers work under :

Answer : Election Commission.

Question 34.In how many Constituencies the country is divided during the Lok Sabha election?

Answer : 543.

Question. Elections in India for Parliament and state legislatures are conducted by?

Answer : Election Commission of India.

Question. Members of election Commission are appointed by?

Answer :President of India.

Question. Which party had been ruling Haryana since 1982?

Answer :The Congress party had been ruling Haryana since 1982.

Question. Who was Chaudhary Devilal? Name the party formed by him.

Answer : Chaudhary Devilal was an opposition leader. He formed a new party called the Lok Dal.

Question. Which promises of Devilal draw in election campaign attracted the people?

Answer :He promised to waive the loans of small farmers and small businessmen.

Question. What was the result of the elections in Haryana in 1987?

Answer : Lok Dal and its partners won 76 out of 90 seats, with Lok Dal alone winning 60 seats. The Congress could win only 5 seats.

Question. Why did the Chief Minister resign?

Answer :His party lost the elections. Only the leader of the majority party can form a government

Question. Why do we have representatives in most democracies?

Answer : In most democracies people rule through their representatives because it is not possible for everyone to have time and knowledge to take decisions on all matters.

Question.

What is election?

Answer: It is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals and change them if they wish to do so.

Question. How many seats are reserved for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha?

Answer : Currently, in the Lok Sabha 84 seats are reserved for scheduled castes and 47 for scheduled tribes.

Question. How many seats are reserved for women in local bodies?

Answer: One third of the total seats are reserved for women in the local bodies.

Question. Seats reservation was later extended to other weaker sections at the district and local level. What are they called?

Answer : Other Backward Classes.

Question. What do you mean by voters?

Answer : People who have the right to vote or participate in the election of representatives are known as voters.

Question. Why are modern democracies representative?

Answer : It is due to the fact that modern states have very large population and areas and it is not possible for all the citizen to participate in the affairs of the state. Citizens elect their representative for a fixed period who run the administration according to the wishes of the people.

Question. What is a Constituency?

Answer :For elections, the entire country is divided into fixed electoral areas with a body of registered voters. This areas is called constituencies.

Question 50. What is ballot-paper?

Answer : A ballot-paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the candidates along with their party symbols are given.

NCERT Book. Exercises.
Question 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.

Question 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.

Question 3. Match the following :

a. It is necessary to keep the voters list up to date because

i. there is a fair representation of all sections of our society

b. Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that

ii. everyone has equal opportunity to elect their representative

c. Everyone has one and only one vote so that

iii. all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections

d. Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because

iv. some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last.

Answer : a. It is necessary to keep the voters list up to date because

iv. some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last

b. Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that

i. there is a fair representation of all sections of our society

c. Everyone has one and only one vote so that

ii. everyone has equal opportunity to elect their representative

d. Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because

iii. all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections.

Question 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 : i. Making of Voters’ List.

ii. Announcing Election Schedule.

iii. Releasing Election Manifesto.

iv. Election Campaign.

v. Filing Nomination.

vi. Casting of Votes.

vii. Ordering of Re-poll.

viii. Counting of Votes.

ix. Declaration of Election Results.

Question 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. Election Campaign : She needs to maintain law and order and make sure one cannot appeal based on money and religion.

b. Polling Day : She needs to ensure free and fair elections besides checking voters' lists and ID.

c. Counting day : Keep an eye on the counting process and make sure counting is fair.

Question 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?

Houses of             Population of

Representatives.           US

Blacks.           8.                             13

Hispanics.     5.                             13

Whites.         86.                            70

Answer :Yes, to Hispanics and Blacks because their representation in the US Congress is lower when compared to whites.

Question 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. No. 

It is because :The election commission can release the code of conduct and can also punish the violators.

At the time of elections, the respective authority works under the election commission and not the government.

b. Yes .

The percentage of voters turnout has increase

An increase in people's participation in election-related activities has been also observed.

c. No.

Ruling party has lost elections several times.

Despite huge expenditure and campaign, the ruling party has lost elections in the past.

d. Yes.

Speedy trials in the court must be done for the contestant with criminal allegations. So

that actual criminals should be debarred and honest candidates get a fair chance.

Steps must be taken so that small parties or individuals get a fair chance while contesting for elections.

Question 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?

Answer : No, because they have been proved guilty in the court.

Question 9. Here are some reports of electoral malpractices from different parts of the world. Is there anything that these countries can learn from India to improve their elections? What would you suggest in each case?
a. During an election in Nigeria, the officer in charge of counting votes deliberately increased the votes of one candidate and declared him elected. The court later found out that more than five lakh 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.

Answer : a. The agents from each political party that has contested in the election should be present while counting as done in India.

b. Candidates or the political party should be identified through enquiry by election commission and should be debarred from participating in elections.

c. Like India, the US too can have one election commission who can make rules and take care of the complete process.

Question :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 was 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 names 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. The announcement just after the election breaks  code of conduct and the election commission should take necessary action.

b. It is the duty of the election commission to ensure free and fair coverage to all the political parties in the media run by the government.

c. Re-election must be announced as the report shows vote-rigging.

d. It is illegal to use muscle power and money. So the political party must be banned.

Question 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. Women are mature enough to make decisions independently and the secret ballot system in elections ensures that they can cast their vote freely.

b. Competition is extremely important as it motivates a person to do better work than others so it must be encouraged.

c. Being a graduate and understanding the problems in our society are not interrelated. Hence, it would be unfair if someone is not permitted to run for an election based on education qualification.