Class 9 Civics Chapter 3 Previous Year Questions - Electoral Politics

Short Answer Type Question

Q.1. Describe the procedure of voting on the polling day. 
Ans. (a) On the election day, the eligible voters go to the nearest polling booth to vote.
(b) A mark is put on the finger of the voter who votes as an identification mark so as to avoid any person voting more than once.
(c) A ballot paper or EVMs are used to record the votes. A voter presses the button against the name of the candidate he or she wants to vote for.

Q.2. What is the meaning of free and fair elections? 
Ans. It means people participate in the electoral process and give votes according to their choices. The parties are free to contest elections and candidates preferred by the people are elected.

Q.3. What is meant by ‘seat’ in elections? Explain with example.  
Ans. The electoral constituencies are counted as ‘seats’, for each constituency represents one seat in the assembly. For example, when we say that ‘Lok Dal won 60 seats’ in Haryana, it means that candidates of Lok Dal won is 60 assembly constituencies in the state and thus Lok Dal had 60 MLAs in the state assembly.

Q.4. What is a constituency?
Ans: For elections, the entire country is divided into fixed electoral areas with a body of registered voters. These areas are called constituencies.

Q.5. Mention any two disadvantages of having political competition.
Ans:  It creates a sense of disunity and factionalism and parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections.

Q.6. What is the importance of electoral competition? 
Ans: Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and leaders. They know that if they raise issues that people want to be raised, their popularity and chances of victory will increase in the next elections. But if they fail to satisfy the voters with their work, they will not be able to win again. If a political party is motivated only by desire to be in power, even then, it will be forced to serve the people.

Q.7. What is an Electoral Roll or Voter’s List? What is its importance?
Ans: It is a list which carries the names of the persons who are eligible to vote.
It is important because a voter can caste his/her vote if his/her name is in the voter’s list.

Q.8. What is Universal Adult Franchise?
Ans: Every citizen of India who is 18 years of age or above has the right to vote without any discrimination of caste, creed, colour, sex, religion etc.

Q.9. Mention any two points relating to the Model Code of Conduct for election campaigns. 
Ans:

• No candidate can use any place of worship for election propaganda.
• No party can use government vehicle for elections

Q.10. What is an EVM? 
Ans: It is an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) which is used to record votes. The machine shows the names of the candidates and the symbols.

Long Answer Type Question

Q.1. Describe the challenges to free and fair elections in India.   
Ans. Challenges to the elections in India are:
(a) Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory, but they do enjoy an advantage over smaller parties and independent candidates.
(b) In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connection have been able to secure a ticket from major parties.
(c) Some families tend to dominate political parties. Tickets are distributed to members of these families.
(d) Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens as both the major parties are similar to each other in their policies and practices.
(e) Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage as compared to the bigger parties.

Q.2. What makes elections in India democratic? Explain.
Ans:

• An Independent Election Commission: In our country, elections are conducted by an independent and a very powerful Election Commission (EC). It 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, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is not answerable to the President or the government. Even if the ruling party or the government does not like what the Commission does, it is virtually impossible for it to remove the CEC.
• Popular Participation: In India, the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger proportion as compared to the rich and the 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.
• Acceptance of election outcome: The outcome of India’s elections speaks for itself. The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India, both at the national and the state levels. In fact, in every two out of the three, elections held in the last fifteen years, the ruling party lost the power.

Q.3. Mention any three provisions which makes Election Commission an independent body. 
Ans:

• The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India. But once appointed, the Chief Election Commissioner is not answerable to the President or the government.
• During the election period, the EC can order the government to follow some guidelines, to prevent use and misuse of governmental power to enhance its chances to win elections, or to transfer some government officials.
• When on election duty, government officers work under the control of the EC and not the government.

Q.4. Explain any five conditions for free and fair elections. 
Ans:

• One vote one value: Everyone should be able to choose. This means that everyone should have one vote and every vote should have equal value.
• Multiple choices: There should be something to choose from. Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters.
• Choice at regular interval: The choice should be offered at regular intervals. Elections must be held regularly after every few years.
• All should have equal chance of winning: The candidate preferred by the people should get elected.
• Free and fair elections: Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can choose as they really wish.