Test: Electoral Politics (Term II)- 2 - Class 9 MCQ

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. Each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies.

A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

In a democratic election, the list of those who are eligible to vote is prepared much before the election and given to everyone. This list is officially called the Electoral Roll or the Voters' List.

According to our election law, no party or candidate can

i) Bribe or threaten voters;

ii) Appeal to them in the name of caste or religion;

iii) Use government resources for election campaign; and

iv) Spend more than Rs. 25 lakh in a constituency for a Lok Sabha election or Rs. 10 lakh in a constituency in an Assembly election.

Frequency of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in India
- Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections are held regularly in India.
- The frequency of these elections is determined by the Constitution of India.
- The Constitution specifies that Lok Sabha elections should be held after every five years.
- The term of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India, is five years.
- The Vidhan Sabha elections, which are held for the state legislative assemblies, also follow the same five-year cycle.
- Each state in India has its own Vidhan Sabha, and the elections for these assemblies are held separately.
- The terms of the Vidhan Sabhas are also five years, synchronized with the Lok Sabha elections.
- The simultaneous election cycle ensures that both the central and state governments have a stable tenure and can effectively carry out their duties.
- The Election Commission of India is responsible for conducting these elections and ensuring a free and fair electoral process.
- The voters in India have the opportunity to elect their representatives at the national and state levels through these regular elections.
- The electoral process provides citizens with the power to choose their leaders and participate in the democratic governance of the country.

False
Reasons:
- The process of elections in democratic countries is fundamentally different from that of non-democratic countries.
- In democratic countries, elections are typically free, fair, and competitive, allowing citizens to choose their leaders through a transparent and accountable process.
- Non-democratic countries, on the other hand, often have elections that are controlled or manipulated by the ruling regime, limiting the choices available to voters and suppressing opposition.
- In democratic countries, there are independent electoral bodies and institutions that ensure the integrity of the election process, whereas non-democratic countries may lack such impartial bodies.
- Democratic elections also involve a range of activities, such as voter registration, campaigning, and counting of votes, that are conducted transparently and in accordance with established rules and regulations.
- Non-democratic countries may have elections in name only, with little or no genuine competition or opportunity for citizens to express their preferences freely.
- The role of political parties, civil society organizations, and media in democratic elections is also significantly different from non-democratic countries, where they may face restrictions or censorship.
- Overall, the principles and practices underlying the electoral process in democratic countries are fundamentally distinct from those in non-democratic countries, making the statement false.

Elections for selecting Members of Legislative Assembly will be held in five states between March 27 and April 29. These states are under the Model Code of Conduct since the poll dates were announced first on February 26 and will remain under it till the completion of the election process. For those who don’t know much about the Model Code of Conduct, it’s a set of strict rules that evolved over a period of the past six decades and has been laid down by the Election Commission of India.

People's participation in elections is usually measured by voter turnout figures. Turnout indicates the percent of eligible voters who actually cast their vote. Over the last fifty years in India the turnout has either remained stable or actually gone up.

- In India the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger proportion as compared to the rich and privileged sections. This is in contrast to western democracies. For example in the United states of America, poor people, African Americans and Hispanics vote much less than the rich and the white people.

The elections are conducted by the Election Commission of India. All members of the Lok Sabha, except two who can be nominated by the President of India, are directly elected through general elections which take place every five years in normal circumstances by universal adult suffrage.