Test: Electoral Politics - UGC NET MCQ

• In a democratic setup, various types of organizations are involved in significant struggles, playing a crucial role in two primary ways:

  • Direct engagement in competitive politics involves creating political parties, contesting elections, and forming governments. However, not all citizens engage directly in this process, except through voting.
  • Alternatively, people can influence the government indirectly by forming organizations and undertaking activities to advocate for the interests or viewpoints of the public. These groups are commonly known as interest groups or pressure groups.

Important Points

• Movement: A movement aims to influence politics rather than directly participating in electoral competition. It is typically a small organization that relies on spontaneous mass participation of people rather than being an interest group.
  • It initiates struggles to address social issues, with or without a formal organizational structure.
  • Examples include Narmada Bachao Andolan, Movement for Right to Information, Anti-liquor Movement, Women’s Movement, and Environmental Movement.
• Sectional Interest Groups: These groups work to promote the interests of a specific section or group in society.
  • They represent a particular segment of society, such as trade unions, business associations, and professional groups like lawyers, doctors, and teachers.
  • Their primary focus is on the welfare and improvement of their members, rather than society at large.
  • Members of the organization may not directly benefit from the cause the organization advocates for. For instance, FEDECOR in Bolivia.
• Public Interest Group: These organizations aim to assist groups beyond their own members.
  • They are also known as promotional groups.
  • Their goal is to support groups other than their immediate members.
  • In some cases, members of a public interest group may engage in activities that benefit both themselves and others. For example, BAMCEF (Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation).

Therefore, the correct correlation is 1 - C, 2 - D, 3 - A, 4 - B.

The Issues of Debate in Electoral Politics

• Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)

  • EVMs are electronic voting devices that provide the voter with a button for each candidate they choose to support.
  • They have been a topic of discussion in India due to various technical problems and concerns about their security and reliability.

• One Nation, One Election

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advocated for the concept of "One Nation, One Election."
  • This refers to the simultaneous conduct of elections for various bodies like Lok Sabha, state legislatures, panchayats, and urban local authorities once every five years.

• Introduction of the Two-Children Norm

  • According to the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act of 1994, individuals with more than two children are ineligible to run for election as a panch or member.
  • This norm for eligibility to contest local elections has stirred debates in the context of electoral politics.

Therefore, the issues of debate in electoral politics include Electronic Voting Machines, One Nation, One Election, and the Introduction of the Two-Children Norm for eligibility to contest local elections.

The Demand for 'Harit Pradesh' and its Relation to Western Uttar Pradesh

• Establishment of State Reorganization: The Government of India implemented the State Reorganization on December 29, 1953.
• Division of Component States: India's component states were temporarily divided into Part A, B, C, and D states.
• Proposed Division of Uttar Pradesh: B. R. Ambedkar proposed the division of Uttar Pradesh into three states - Western, Central, and Eastern, with capitals at Meerut, Kanpur, and Allahabad, respectively, in 1955.
• Objective of Division: The division aimed to prevent overly large states from dominating politics at the federal level, as discussed in the critique of the proposed States Reorganisation Act.
• Harit Pradesh: The western regions of Uttar Pradesh state constitute the proposed new Indian state of Harit Pradesh.

Therefore, the demand for 'Harit Pradesh' is specifically related to Western Uttar Pradesh.

Author of "Game of Votes: Visual Media Politics and Elections in the Digital Era"

• Farhat Basir Khan is the author of the book "Game of Votes: Visual Media Politics and Elections in the Digital Era."
• The book focuses on showcasing the key actors in the electoral arena and explores the impact of digital technology in electoral politics.

The correct answer is A - II, B - III, C - I, D - IV

• The concept of 'Fragmentation in the coalition of dominant interests' was proposed by Pranab Bardhan, an Indian political scientist.
• He analyzed the fragmentation of the Congress system due to competing dominant caste interests.
• 'Second dominant party system' refers to the theory by Subrata Mitra and Iivanta Schotlli, Indian economists, who argued that a multiparty national ruling coalition has replaced the Congress system.
• The theory of 'Parties of Pressure' that characterizes Indian politics was developed by Rajni Kothari, a political scientist, in their book 'Living With Democracy in India'.
• Finally, the notion of 'Ethnic Parties' representing ethnic and regional interests was analyzed by Kanchan Chandra, a political scientist, in her work on the salience of ethnic identities in Indian party politics.
• Therefore, the correct match of concepts with authors is A - II, B - III, C - I, D - IV.

The correct option is 1: A - I, B - II, C - III, D - IV

The correct answer is: Only C is correct

Key Points

• The Dravidian movement was one of the first regional movements in Indian politics.
• While some factions of this movement aimed at establishing a Dravida nation, they did not resort to violent means.
• Democratic methods such as public debates and participation in elections were employed to achieve their objectives.
• Through this approach, the movement gained political influence within the State and also made an impact at the national level.
• The Dravidian movement eventually led to the establishment of the Dravidar Kazhagam [DK] under the guidance of Tamil social reformer E.V. Ramasami ‘Periyar’.
• The organization staunchly opposed the hegemony of Brahmins and emphasized regional pride in response to the North's political, economic, and cultural dominance.
• Initially, the Dravidian movement advocated for the entirety of south India; however, due to insufficient support from other states, it primarily flourished in Tamil Nadu.

Therefore, based on the information provided, the following statement is correct:
(C) It used democratic means like public debates and the electoral platform to achieve its ends.

The Growth of Cooperative Federalism in India

• Cooperative Federalism

  • In cooperative federalism, the federal government and the states collaborate for the benefit of the general public.
  • It enables state involvement in creating and implementing federal programs.
  • Constitution mandates the Union and States to work together on issues listed in Schedule VII.

• Factors Leading to Growth of Cooperative Federalism:

  • Union-State collaboration in economic matters
  • Compulsion of developmental finance

Additional Information

• GST Council: Passing of GST exemplifies cooperative federalism, aiming for 'One Nation, One Market' by unifying taxation.
• State's share has increased from the 10th to the 14th Finance Commission, with 42% devolution in the 14th FC.

Hence, the correct answer is 'A and C Only.'

Elections take place once in 5 years to elect 543 members for the Lok Sabha.

• Key Points
  • The characterise electoral politics in India today are mentioned below:
    • The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance was the first successful coalition administration in India to fulfill the full five-year tenure.
    • A multi-party system is a type of governance in which there are more than two political parties that can form a coalition to establish a government in the absence of a majority or a single big victor.
    • The multi-party system is practiced in a number of nations, including France, Italy, Israel, India, and France.
    • All of India's adult citizens cast ballots for candidates running in each of their various seats to become members of the Lok Sabha.

• Thus, Stabilization of the Congress dominance system does NOT characterise electoral politics in India today.

Chronological Sequence

• Tarkunde Committee on Electoral Reforms:

  • Established in 1974, the Tarkunde Committee was a significant step towards electoral reforms in India.
  • It was formed in response to the curtailment of civil liberties during that period, prompted by Jayaprakash Narayan, a prominent freedom fighter and political figure.

• Joint Parliamentary Committee on Reform of Electoral Law:

  • This committee was formed in 1971 with the aim of discussing potential reforms to the existing electoral laws.

• Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms:

  • In the 1990s, the Ministry of Law established the Goswami Committee for Electoral Reforms.
  • The committee presented its recommendations in 1993, suggesting changes to the current electoral laws and procedures.

• Election Commission's Campaign against Criminalization of Politics:

  • During the early 2000s, the Election Commission of India launched a campaign against the criminalization of politics.
  • As part of this initiative, the commission implemented regulations requiring electoral candidates to disclose any criminal records they might have, enhancing transparency in the electoral process.

The sequencing of these reforms and initiatives was based on distinct timeframes and responses to various challenges within India's electoral system. Therefore, the correct chronological order is A, C, B, D.