Short & Long Question Answer: Electoral Politics

Q1: Examine the role of the Election Commission in ensuring free and fair elections in India.
Ans:
The Election Commission of India is an independent constitutional body responsible for conducting elections in a free and fair manner. It enjoys a high degree of autonomy similar to that of the judiciary. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India, but once appointed the CEC cannot be removed easily by the government. The Commission uses wide-ranging powers to ensure that elections are conducted properly and impartially.

It takes decisions on every aspect of the conduct and control of elections, from the announcement of the election schedule to the declaration of results. Its duties include preparing and revising electoral rolls, supervising nomination of candidates, ensuring compliance with the Model Code of Conduct, and organising polling and counting.

• It implements the Model Code of Conduct and takes action against any candidate or party that violates it.
• During the election period, the Commission can direct the government on administrative measures to prevent misuse of official power and resources, and can order transfer of officials where needed to ensure a level playing field.
• When officials are on election duty, they function under the authority of the Election Commission and not under the usual control of the government.
• The Commission can reprimand the government or administration for lapses. If election officials believe polling was not free and fair at certain booths or in a whole constituency, the Commission can order repolling. Such powers make the Election Commission an important institution for safeguarding free and fair elections in India.

Q2: What are reserved constituencies? Why are they necessary in India? What are the provisions of this system of reservation?
Ans:
Reserved constituencies are constituencies set aside for members of certain socially disadvantaged groups so that these groups get representation in legislatures. Many people from these groups may lack resources, education or social contacts to compete on an equal footing with more influential contestants. Without reservation, Parliament and State Assemblies could be deprived of the voice of a significant section of the population, making democracy less representative. Reservation helps bring disadvantaged communities into mainstream politics.

The provisions of this system are:

• Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
• In an SC reserved constituency only a person belonging to the Scheduled Castes can stand for election. Similarly, only those belonging to the Scheduled Tribes can contest an election from a constituency reserved for ST.
• Currently, in the Lok Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the Scheduled Tribes (as on 1 September 2012). These numbers are roughly in proportion to their share in the total population.

Q3: Give a list of the minimum conditions needed for a democratic election.
Ans:
All democratic elections must meet certain minimum conditions. These are:

• Everyone should be able to choose: every eligible person should have one vote and every vote should carry equal value.
• There should be real choices: parties and candidates must be free to contest elections and must offer genuine alternatives to voters.
• Elections should be held at regular intervals so that people can change their representatives if they wish.
• The candidate preferred by the voters should be able to win and take office.
• Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner so that people can vote according to their true wishes without fear or pressure.

Q4: What are the challenges to free and fair elections in India?
Ans:
Indian elections face a number of challenges that can affect their fairness. Some important problems are:

• Candidates and parties with large amounts of money enjoy an unfair advantage over smaller parties and independent candidates.
• In some areas, candidates with criminal connections have been able to push others out of the electoral race and obtain party tickets.
• Family domination in some parties leads to tickets being given to relatives rather than to the most suitable candidates.
• Major parties are often similar in policies and practice, which can leave voters with little meaningful choice.
• Smaller parties and independent candidates face a large disadvantage compared to big parties in organisation and resources.

These challenges are not unique to India but must be addressed to ensure genuinely free and fair elections.

Q5: Why do democratic countries need to hold elections?
Ans:
Democratic countries hold elections for these reasons:

• Elections are essential because direct rule by all citizens is not possible in large societies. Representative democracy allows people to rule through elected representatives.
• Most citizens cannot spend the time or possess the specialised knowledge needed to decide every public matter, so they choose representatives to act on their behalf.
• Elections are held at regular intervals so that people can replace representatives or governments if they are not satisfied with their performance.

Q6: In an election the voters makes many choices. Mention them.
Ans:
In an election the voters make the following choices:

• They choose who will make laws for them.
• They choose who will form the government and take major decisions.
• They choose which party's policies will guide the government and law making.

Q7: What details are mentioned in the legal declaration made by candidates? Why is this information made public?
Ans:
Every candidate has to make a legal declaration giving full details of:

• Serious criminal cases pending against the candidate;
• Details of the assets and liabilities of the candidate and his/her family; and
• Educational qualifications of the candidate. This information is made public so that voters can make an informed choice about whom to vote for.

Q8: Mention some of the unfair practices used in elections.
Ans:
Some unfair practices used in elections are:

• Including false names or excluding genuine names from the voters' list.
• Misuse of government facilities and officials by the ruling party.
• Excessive use of money by wealthy candidates and large parties.
• Intimidation of voters and rigging at polling stations.

Q9: What is the significance of the voters' list in a democratic election?
Ans:

• The voters' list is the record of people eligible to vote. Preparing and sharing this list well before an election is essential so that everyone who is eligible gets an equal opportunity to vote. No one should be denied the right to vote without a good reason.
• The voters' list must be revised from time to time. The government is responsible for adding new voters as they attain voting age and deleting names of those who have died or moved away. A thorough revision usually happens every five years to keep the list up to date.

Q10: What do political parties and candidates do during election campaigns?
Ans:

• Political parties mobilise supporters and try to focus public attention on key issues to persuade voters to support them.
• Candidates contact voters directly to convince them that they and their party are better choices.
• Newspapers, television and other media carry many election-related stories, debates and advertisements during the campaign period.

Q11: How did the voters use to indicate who they wanted to vote for in earlier times? What do they do now-a-days?
Ans:

• Earlier, voters indicated their choice by stamping a ballot paper that listed the names of the contesting candidates along with their party names and symbols.
• Nowadays Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are used to record votes. The machine displays the names and symbols of candidates.
• The voter simply presses the button next to the name of the candidate for whom they wish to vote.

Q12: Why are election campaigns important in a democracy? When do these take place in our country?
Ans:

• Election campaigns are important because they provide a free and open discussion about who should be the representative, which party should form the government and which policies are preferable. Without campaigns, voters would lack information and clarity when making choices.
• In India, such campaigns normally take place during a two-week period between the announcement of the final list of candidates and the date of polling.

Q13: Why is it necessary for the Election Commission of India to be independent and powerful?
Ans:

• The Election Commission must be independent and powerful so that it can enforce rules and act without pressure from the government or ruling parties.
• It can order repolls, transfer officials on election duty, and take other steps when polling is not free and fair.
• Because the Commission can act firmly even when ruling parties dislike its decisions, its independence and powers are crucial to protect the integrity of elections.

Q14: What happens once the polling is over?
Ans:

• After polling ends, all EVMs are sealed and taken to a secure place.
• On a fixed date a few days later, the EVMs of a constituency are opened and votes for each candidate are counted in the presence of the candidates' agents to ensure transparency.
• The candidate who secures the highest number of votes in a constituency is declared elected. In a general election, counting in all constituencies usually happens on the same day and most results are declared within a few hours.

Q15: What is the principle of universal adult franchise? What does it mean in practice?
Ans: In practice the principle of universal adult franchise means that every adult citizen should have one vote and that each vote should have equal value. No one should be denied the right to vote without a good reason. Citizens differ in wealth, education and social background, but all are entitled to an equal say in decisions that affect them.

Q16: What are the demerits of an electoral competition?
Ans:
Electoral competition also has some negative aspects. These include:

• It can create a sense of disunity and factionalism within local communities.
• Political parties and leaders often level allegations against one another, which increases hostility.
• Parties and candidates sometimes use dirty tricks to win elections. The pressure to win may discourage long-term, sensible policy-making.