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Electoral Politics Summary Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3

Introduction

  • An election is a process through which people choose their representatives at regular intervals.

What makes an election democratic?

  • Everyone should have one vote and every vote should have equal value.
  • Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters.
  • Elections must be held regularly after every few years.
  • The candidate preferred by the people should get elected.
  • Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can choose as they really wish.

What is system of elections in India?

General Election

  • Elections are held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same day or within a few days.

By-election

  • Sometimes election is held only for one constituency or two to fill the vacancy caused by death or resignation of a member.

Electoral Constituencies

  • The country is divided into different areas based on population for the purpose of elections which are called electoral constituencies.
  • For Lok Sabha elections, the country is divided into 543 constituencies.
  • Similarly, each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies.

Reserved Constituencies 

  • Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Voter’s List

  • The list of people who are eligible for voting is prepared by the Election Commission of India before election.
  • In India, all the citizens aged 18 years and above has the right to vote, regardless of his or her caste, creed, colour, religion or gender.

Nomination of Candidates

  • Anyone who can be a voter can also become a candidate in elections.
  • However, minimum age of in order to be a candidate the minimum age is 25 years.

Election Campaign

  • The campaigns take place for a two-week period between the announcement of the final list of candidates and the date of polling.

Polling and Counting of Votes

  • The final stage of an election is the day when the voters cast or ‘poll’ their vote.

What Makes Elections in India Democratic?

Independent Election Commission

  • In India, elections are conducted by an independent and very powerful Election Commission (EC) which enjoys the same kind of independence that the judiciary enjoys. 
  • The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India.
    • But once appointed, CEC is not answerable to the President or the government.

Acceptance of election outcome

  • The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level.
  • In India about half of the sitting MPs or MLAs lose elections.

Challenges to free and fair elections in India

  • Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory but they do enjoy a big and unfair advantage over smaller parties and independents.
  • In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connection have been able to push others out of the electoral race and to secure a ‘ticket’ from major parties.
  • Some families tend to dominate political parties; tickets are distributed to relatives from these families.
  • Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens, for both the major parties are quite similar to each other both in policies and practice.
  • Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage compared to bigger parties.
The document Electoral Politics Summary Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3 is a part of the UPSC Course NCERT Video Summary: Class 6 to Class 12 (English).
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FAQs on Electoral Politics Summary Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3

1. What is electoral politics?
Ans. Electoral politics refers to the process of selecting representatives through voting in order to form a government. It involves various activities such as political campaigns, candidate selection, public debates, and voting by the citizens to determine the outcome of elections.
2. How does electoral politics work in India?
Ans. In India, electoral politics work through a parliamentary system where representatives are elected at various levels of government. Elections are held periodically, and eligible citizens cast their votes to elect their preferred candidates. The political party that secures the majority of seats forms the government, and its leader becomes the Prime Minister or Chief Minister depending on the level of government.
3. What are the roles and responsibilities of political parties in electoral politics?
Ans. Political parties play a crucial role in electoral politics. They nominate candidates, formulate policies, conduct election campaigns, mobilize public support, and represent the interests of their members and supporters. They also provide a platform for political leaders to express their ideologies and participate in democratic decision-making processes.
4. How does the Election Commission of India ensure free and fair elections in the country?
Ans. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for conducting free and fair elections in the country. It ensures fairness by overseeing the entire electoral process, including voter registration, candidate nominations, campaigning, polling, and result declaration. The ECI enforces a code of conduct to prevent malpractices, monitors campaign expenditure, and takes necessary actions against any violations to ensure transparency and impartiality.
5. What are the challenges faced by electoral politics in India?
Ans. Electoral politics in India faces several challenges, including money power, caste and religious influences, criminalization of politics, and low voter turnout in certain regions. The influence of money in elections often leads to unequal opportunities for candidates. Caste and religious factors sometimes divide voters along identity lines. The presence of politicians with criminal backgrounds also poses a challenge to the integrity of the electoral process. Additionally, addressing the issue of low voter turnout and ensuring the active participation of all sections of society remains a challenge for electoral politics in India.
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