Passage Based Questions: Election and Representation | Political Science Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Passage - 1

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.

In the PR system there could be two variations. In some countries. like Israel or Netherlands, the entire country is treated as one constituency and seats are allocated to each party according to its share of votes in the national election. "The other method is when the country is divided into several multi-member constituencies as in Argentina and Portugal. Each party prepares a list of candidates for each constituency, depending on how many have to be elected from that constituency. In both these variations, voters exercise their preference for a party and not a candidate. "Ihe seats in a constituency are distributed on the basis of votes polled by a party. Thus, representatives from a constituency, would and do belong to different parties.

Q1: What are the two variations in the proportional representation (PR) system, and can you give examples of countries that use each method?
Answer: In the PR system, there are two variations.

• In one method, the entire country is treated as one constituency, and seats are allocated to parties based on their share of votes in the national election. Examples of countries using this method include Israel and the Netherlands.
• In the other method, the country is divided into several multi-member constituencies, and each party prepares a list of candidates for each constituency based on the number of seats to be filled. Argentina and Portugal use this variation.

Q2: In the PR system, how do voters express their preference, and what is the basis for distributing seats in a constituency?
Ans:

• In the PR system, voters express their preference by voting for a political party, not individual candidates.
• Seats in a constituency are distributed based on the total number of votes received by each party.
• This means that representatives from a single constituency may belong to different political parties.

Q3: Can voters in the PR system choose specific candidates, or do they only vote for a party?
Ans:

• In the PR system, voters typically cast their votes for a political party, and they do not have the option to vote for specific candidates.
• The allocation of seats within a constituency is determined by the performance of political parties rather than individual candidate preferences.

Passage - 2

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Finally, the FPTP system encourages voters from different social groups to come together to win an election in a locality. In a diverse countlY like India, a PR system would encourage each community to form its own nation-wide party. This may also have been at the back of the mind of our constitution makers. The experience of the working of the Constitution has confirmed the expectation of the constitution makers. The system has proved to be simple and familiar to ordinary voters. It has helped larger parties to win clear majorities at the centre and the State level. The system has also discouraged political parties that get all their votes only from one caste or community. Normally. the working of the FPTP system results in a two-party system. "This means that there are two major competitors for power and power is often shared by these two parties alternately. It is difficult for new parties or the third party to enter the and share power. In this respect, the experience of FPTP in India is slightly different.

Q1: How does the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system encourage social groups to collaborate in elections, and what is its impact on India's diverse society?
Ans:

• The FPTP system encourages voters from various social groups to come together and form coalitions to win elections in a particular locality.
• In India's diverse context, this promotes cooperation among different communities within a region.

Q2: What was the expectation of the constitution makers when choosing the FPTP system for India, and how has the system lived up to their expectations?
Ans:

• The constitution makers anticipated that the FPTP system would be simple and familiar to voters and promote the coming together of diverse communities.
• The experience of the Constitution's working has confirmed these expectations.

Q3: How does the FPTP system in India differ from many other countries that employ the same system, particularly in terms of the number of major political parties and the ease of entry for new parties?
Ans:

• Normally, the FPTP system results in a two-party system in many countries, with two major competitors for power.
• In India, the FPTP system has allowed for the presence of multiple parties, and power is shared among various political entities, making it slightly different from the typical two-party system.

Passage - 3

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In a particular constituency, their numbers may not be sufficient to be able to influence a victory of a candidate. However, taken across the country they are a significantly sizeable group. To ensure their representation, a system of reservation becomes necessary. The Constitution provides for the reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. "His provision was made initially for a period of 10  years and as a result of successive constitutional amendments, has been extended up to 2020. 

Q1: Why is a system of reservation of seats necessary in certain constituencies, even if a particular group's numbers may not be sufficient to influence the victory of a candidate there?
Ans:

• In some constituencies, certain groups might not have a significant numerical presence to influence the election outcome.
• However, when considered at the national level, these groups collectively form a substantial population.

Q2: What does the Constitution provide for regarding the reservation of seats in India's legislative bodies, and which specific groups are these reservations intended for?
Ans:

• The Constitution of India provides for the reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
• These reservations are specifically meant for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Q3: How long was the initial provision for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and what has been the result of successive constitutional amendments regarding this provision?
Ans:

• Initially, the provision for reservation of seats was made for a period of 10 years.
• Subsequent constitutional amendments have extended this provision, and it was last extended up to 2020, ensuring continued representation for these marginalized groups.

Passage - 4

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Till 1989, an adult Indian meant an Indian citizen above the age of 21. An amendment to the Constitution in 1989, reduced the eligibility age to 18. Adult franchise ensures that all citizens are able to participate in the process of selecting their representative. This is consistent with the principle of equality and non-discrimination that we studied in the chapter on rights. Many people thought and many think so today that giving the right to vote to everyone irrespective of educational qualification was not right. But our Constitution makers had a firm belief in the ability and worth of all adult citizens as equals in the matter of deciding what is good for the society, the country and for their own constituencies.

Q1: What significant change regarding the eligibility age for adult Indian citizens took place in 1989, and what was the previous age requirement?
Ans:

• In 1989, an amendment to the Constitution reduced the eligibility age for adult Indian citizens from 21 to 18 years.
• Prior to this amendment, an adult Indian citizen was defined as someone above the age of 21.

Q2: How does the concept of adult franchise relate to the principles of equality and non-discrimination?
Ans:

• Adult franchise ensures that all citizens, regardless of their background or characteristics, have the right to participate in the process of choosing their representatives.
• This aligns with the principles of equality and non-discrimination, as it promotes equal political participation and representation for all citizens.

Q3: What belief did the Constitution makers hold regarding the right to vote, and why did they advocate giving this right to all adult citizens without educational qualifications?
Ans:

• The Constitution makers firmly believed in the ability and worth of all adult citizens as equals when it came to making decisions for society, the country, and their constituencies.
• They advocated giving the right to vote to all adult citizens without educational qualifications to ensure inclusivity and equal participation in the democratic process.

Passage - 5

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Article 324 of the Indian Constitution provides for an independent Election Commission for the 'superintendence. direction and control of the electoral roll and the conduct of elections in India. These words in the Constitution are very important, for they give the Election Commission a decisive role in virtually everything to do with elections. The Supreme Court has agreed with this interpretation of the Constitution. To assist the Election Commission of India there is a Chief Electoral Officer in every state. The Election Commission is not responsible for the conduct of local body elections. As we shall study in the chapter on Local Government. the State Election Commissioners work independently of the Election Commission of India and each has its own sphere of operation.

Q1: What is the role of Article 324 of the Indian Constitution, and how does it empower the Election Commission in the electoral process?
Ans:

• Article 324 of the Indian Constitution establishes the Election Commission and grants it authority over the electoral roll and the conduct of elections in India.
• This constitutional provision gives the Election Commission a decisive role in all matters related to elections, making it a key institution in the electoral process.

Q2: How does the Supreme Court view the interpretation of Article 324 and the Election Commission's role?
Ans:

• The Supreme Court supports the interpretation of Article 324 that empowers the Election Commission with a decisive role in overseeing and conducting elections.

Q3: Does the Election Commission of India handle the conduct of local body elections, and if not, who is responsible for managing these elections?
Ans:

• No, the Election Commission of India is not responsible for conducting local body elections.
• Local body elections are managed independently by State Election Commissioners, who operate separately from the Election Commission of India and have their own jurisdiction and responsibilities.

Passage - 6

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"The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) presides over the Election Commission, but does not have more powers than the other Election Commissioners. The CEC and the two Election Commissioners have equal powers to take all decisions relating to elections as a collective body. 'They are appointed by the President of India on the advice of the Council of Ministers. It is therefore possible for a ruling party to appoint a partisan person to the Commission who might favour them in the elections. This fear has led many to suggest that this procedure should be changed. Many persons have suggested that a dffferent method should followed that makes consultation with the leader of opposition and the Chief Justice of India necessary for the appointment of CEC and Election Commissioners.

Q1: What is the distribution of powers among the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the two Election Commissioners, and how are they appointed?
Ans:

• The CEC presides over the Election Commission, but he does not possess more authority than the other Election Commissioners.
• The CEC and the two Election Commissioners have equal powers to collectively make decisions concerning elections.
• They are appointed by the President of India upon the advice of the Council of Ministers.

Q2: What concern arises with the current appointment procedure for Election Commissioners, and how does it potentially affect their impartiality?
Ans:

• There is a fear that the ruling party could appoint a partisan individual to the Election Commission who may favor their party during elections.
• This concern has prompted suggestions to revise the appointment process to ensure greater impartiality.

Q3: What alternative method of appointment has been proposed by many, and what key actors are suggested to be involved in this revised process?
Ans:

• Many individuals have proposed a different method for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
• The alternative method suggests that consultation with the leader of the opposition and the Chief Justice of India should be necessary for the appointment of these officials to enhance the credibility and impartiality of the Election Commission.

Passage - 7

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In 2002, the Election Commission faced another critical situation when the Gujarat Assembly was dissolved and elections had to be conducted. But the Election Commission found that unprecedented violence in that State had made it Impossible to hold free and fair elections Immediately. The Election Commission decided to postpone elections to the State Assembly by a few months. The Supreme Court upheld this decision of the Election Commission.

Q1: What was the challenging situation that the Election Commission faced in 2002 regarding elections in Gujarat, and what was the main reason for this challenge?
Ans:

• The Election Commission had to conduct elections for the Gujarat Assembly in 2002.
• Unprecedented violence in the state made it impossible to hold free and fair elections immediately, posing a significant challenge.

Q2: How did the Election Commission respond to the situation in Gujarat, and what decision did they make regarding the Assembly elections?
Ans:

• In response to the violence and the inability to hold fair elections, the Election Commission decided to postpone the elections for the Gujarat State Assembly.
• They opted to delay the elections by a few months.

Q3: What was the stance of the Supreme Court regarding the Election Commission's decision to postpone the Gujarat Assembly elections, and how did the court respond?
Ans:

• The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Election Commission to postpone the elections.
• The court's support affirmed the Election Commission's authority in ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections under challenging circumstances.