Test: Electoral Politics- 1 - Class 9 MCQ

The Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India.

• The 'Nyaya Yudh' movement was initiated by Chaudhary Devi Lal.
• This movement aimed at seeking justice and rights for the farmers and marginalized communities in Haryana.
• Chaudhary Devi Lal was a prominent leader and former Deputy Prime Minister of India.
• The movement highlighted issues like land rights, fair prices for agricultural produce, and social justice.

A fundamental requirement for a democratic election is that every vote should have equal value. This principle ensures fairness and equality in the electoral process, allowing each voter's choice to carry the same weight regardless of other factors.

A constituency is an area for which someone is elected as the representative in a parliament or government.

The electoral roll is a list of persons who are eligible to vote in a particular electoral district and who are registered to vote, if required in a particular jurisdiction.

This is the strength of our electoral system which enjoys the faith of both the defeated and winning candidates. Barring very few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are usually accepted as 'people's verdict' by the defeated party.

It stresses on, political equality. It means that everyone in the country irrespective of the caste, colour, gender, creed and income earned is allowed to vote for his own representative, i.e., the choice and opportunity is available to all the citizens on an equal basis without any discrimination on the basis of gender, caste, colour,etc. The policy of one persons one vote, and one value should be followed in a democracy.

One of the key powers of the Election Commission of India is implementing the Code of Conduct, which includes punishing any candidate or party that violates it. This enforcement is crucial in maintaining the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring fair elections.

• Option A: Lok Sabha - Every citizen has multiple votes:
  This is incorrect. In Lok Sabha elections, every citizen has one vote, and each vote has equal value.
• Option B: Panchayat Elections - Representatives elected for six years:
  This is incorrect. In Panchayat elections, representatives are typically elected for a term of five years, not six.
• Option C: Assembly Constituencies - Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA):
  This is correct. Each state is divided into Assembly constituencies, and the elected representative from each is called a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA).
• Option D: By-Election - Held every five years:
  This is incorrect. By-elections are held as needed, usually to fill a vacancy caused by death or resignation of a member, not on a regular five-year basis.

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. 

The purpose of the Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) is:

- To ensure fair and accurate voting processes: The EPIC is designed to authenticate the identity of voters, minimizing fraudulent voting and impersonation. It helps maintain the integrity of elections by ensuring that only eligible voters can cast their votes. It serves as a reliable method of identification at polling stations, thus supporting transparent and trustworthy elections. Ensuring that the person voting is the actual registered voter is crucial for fair electoral practices.

Booth capturing is a type of electoral fraud in which party loyalists "capture" a polling booth and vote in place of legitimate voters to ensure that their candidate wins.

• Option A: Lok Sabha Constituencies - 540:
  This is a incorrect factual statement as the total number of Lok Sabha constituencies is indeed 543. However, this option does not form a pair that matches the specific context of the question regarding reserved constituencies.
• Option B: Minimum age to vote - 21 years:
  This is incorrect. The minimum age to vote in India is 18 years, as per the principle of universal adult franchise.
• Option C: Reserved seats for SCs - 84: This is correct.
  The number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes in the Lok Sabha is 84, which is in proportion to their share in the total population.
• Option D: Reserved seats for OBCs in Lok Sabha - 47:
  This is incorrect. While there are reserved constituencies for Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Lok Sabha (47 seats), there are no reserved seats specifically for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the Lok Sabha.
  Therefore, the correctly matched pair is Option C: Reserved seats for SCs - 84.

• The Assertion is true as there are reserved constituencies for SCs and STs in India.
• The Reason is also true as the reservation system ensures the representation of marginalized communities in the legislative bodies.
• Therefore, Option A is the correct answer as both the Assertion and the Reason are true, and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

• Assertion: The assertion is correct. Elections are indeed fundamental in a democracy to ensure that the elected representatives are accountable to the people and work in their best interests.
• Reason: The reason is also true. Regular electoral competition acts as a mechanism that incentivizes political parties and leaders to serve the people to secure votes and win elections.
• Explanation: While both the Assertion and Reason are true, the Reason does not directly explain why elections are essential in a democracy. It highlights a consequence of electoral competition but does not offer a direct explanation for the necessity of elections themselves. Hence, Option B is the correct answer.