Democracy in Action Chapter Notes | Footprints Class 7: Book Solutions, Notes & Worksheets PDF Download

Key Concepts on Election Campaigns in India

• Definition: In India, elections are held every five years to establish a new government. During these elections, political parties engage in campaigns to promote their candidates.
• Purpose of Campaigns and Rallies: Election campaigns and rallies serve the purpose of garnering support for political candidates, highlighting their agendas, and persuading voters to vote in their favor.
• Necessity of Fresh General Elections: It is essential for the country to conduct fresh general elections every five years to ensure democratic principles are upheld. This process allows for the expression of the will of the people, facilitates peaceful transfer of power, and ensures accountability of the government.
• UNIVERSAL ADULT FRANCHISE
  • Democracy is based on Universal Adult Franchise.
  • The right to vote is given to all adult citizens without discrimination based on:
• Region
• Religion
• Caste
• Sex
• Property
• Language
• Educational qualification
• 
  

In India:

• Universal Adult Franchise is the basis of representation at all government levels.
• All Indian citizens who are 18 years old are given the right to vote.
• Universal Adult Franchise follows the principle of 'one person, one vote'.
• Every citizen can cast only one vote during an election.
• The principle of 'one person, one vote' establishes and ensures: Political equality & Accountability of the democratic government to the people

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Elections

During elections, citizens are free to vote for political candidates and policies of their choice. This enables them to participate in government formation and control its workings. A government that ignores the welfare of the people can easily be voted out. Elections:

• Can be viewed as a process through which the free will of the people is ascertained.
• Provide credibility and legitimacy to an elected government.
• Provide political education to the people.

In India, the Lok Sabha, the State Legislative Assemblies, and the local bodies such as Municipal Corporations, Municipal Committees, Zila Parishads, Panchayat Samitis, and Gram Panchayats comprise elected representatives.

The Election Commission is an independent body entrusted with the responsibility of conducting free and fair elections. The head of the Commission is known as the Chief Election Commissioner. He/She works in conjunction with two Election Commissioners.

The electoral process begins when the duration of the existing assembly expires or the assembly is dissolved.

For the purpose of election to the Lok Sabha, the country is divided into constituencies or small divisions. A constituency is the geographical area that an elected candidate represents.

• Constituencies are created on the basis of the size of the population.
• Every constituency elects one representative.
• The officer in charge of conducting the elections in the constituency is called the Returning Officer.

The candidate contesting elections:

• Should be a citizen of India.
• Should be aged 25 years or above.
• Should not be convicted of any offense.
• Should not have been sentenced to an imprisonment of 2 years or more.

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 The Election Process

President Issues Notification :  Notification is issued by the President that calls upon the constituencies to elect members on a certain date. This date is usually recommended by the Election Commission. The electoral process begins as soon as the notification is issued.

Candidates File their Nomination

The Election Commission announces the last date for filing of nomination papers. Party candidates and independent candidates (candidates not affiliated to any political party) file their nomination papers on or before this date. This is usually preceded by the announcement of names of candidates by political parties. Candidates are also free to withdraw their nominations before a given date.

The nomination papers submitted by the candidates are thoroughly checked and scrutinised by the Returning Officer and his/her team. Nomination papers with incorrect information are declared invalid. After rigorously going through every nomination paper, the Returning Officer publishes the list of contesting candidates from various constituencies.

The Election Commission approves and allocates symbols to independent candidates and all political parties. While allocating symbols, the Election Commission makes sure that no two political parties or independent candidates have the same or similar symbols, as it may confuse or mislead the voters.

Political parties release their manifestos at the time of elections. Election manifestos outline the programmes and policies that a political party commits to implement for the welfare of the people if voted to power. Through campaigning, the candidate tries to persuade voters to vote for him/her rather than the rival contestants. It is done through meetings, speeches, and display of banners.

Voters go to the polling booths (i.e., places marked for voting) and cast their vote through a secret ballot. Every person whose name is on the voters' list (list of names of those who are going to vote in a political constituency) can go to the polling booth with their voter photo identity card to cast their vote. The photo identity card helps to check cheating or impersonation.

Counting and Declaration of Results

Counting of votes takes place at a centralized place under heavy security arrangements on a day fixed by the Election Commission. The counting center functions under the supervision of the Returning Officer, who works with the help of other officers. Candidates and their authorized agents are allowed inside the hall during the counting. After the process of counting is over, the Returning Officer declares the name of the winner, i.e., the candidate who has secured the maximum number of votes.

If a candidate has doubts about the use of unfair methods or cheating in the election process, he/she can file a petition in the High Court. Fresh elections can be ordered in case the EVMs are destroyed or lost.

• TYPES OF ELECTIONS
  • In a democratic country such as India, there are three types of elections. Let us take a look at them.
• Tenure of an Elected Location and Scale of the Elections
  • General Elections
    • Election to form a new government at the Centre
    • Location: all across the country, at the Centre
    • Tenure: every 5 years
  • Mid-term Elections
    • Reason: when a No-Confidence Motion has been passed against the government in the Lok Sabha
  • By-elections
    • Reason: sudden death or resignation of an elected representative
    • Location: in any particular constituency
    • Tenure: before the expiry of the 5-year term
    • Occurs only till the next general elections can take place

Political Parties

• Political parties are an integral part of representative democracy. A political party is an organised group of people who agree on social and political policies and come together to contest elections with the aim of being a part of the government. They usually comprise candidates, office holders, and activists. Political parties are the link between the citizens and the government between voters and the representative institutions. They provide political education to the citizens and motivate them to participate in elections.

• Political parties work through an organised party system. The party system may vary from country to country. They can be classified into:
• single-party or one-party system, where there is only one dominant party, for example, China
• bi-party or two-party system, for example, the UK and the USA
• multi-party system, where there are more than two parties, for example, India

Political Parties in India

• In India, we have national parties and regional parties. National parties have a large, nationwide following, while the supporters of the regional parties are confined to certain areas of the country.

National Parties

• A political party is recognized as a national party if it fulfills any of the following conditions:
• The candidates nominated by the party, in four or more states, in the last general elections, should have secured at least six per cent of the total valid votes cast. At least four candidates from that party should have been elected to the Lok Sabha from any state(s).
• The party is recognized as a state party in at least four states.
• In the last general elections to the Lok Sabha, the party should have won at least two per cent of the total number of seats in the Lok Sabha. The party's candidates should have been elected to the Lok Sabha from not less than three states.

Regional Parties or State Parties

• Regional parties or state parties are those whose influence is generally limited to one or two states. A party is recognized as a state party if it fulfills any of the following conditions:
• Candidates nominated by the party in the last general elections to the State Assembly should have secured no less than six per cent of the total valid votes cast. At least two candidates of the party should have been elected to the State Assembly.
• In the last general elections to the State Assembly, the party should have won at least three per cent of the total number of seats in the Assembly or three seats, whichever is more.
• In the last general election to the Lok Sabha from the state, the party should have had at least one member elected to the Lok Sabha for every 25 seats allotted to the state.
• FORMATION OF GOVERNMENT
  • In a democratic parliamentary system such as India, the party that gets the majority in Parliament is called the ruling party.
  • Its leader is invited to form the government.
  • The leader of the majority party heads the legislature and other ministers of the government such as the cabinet ministers.
• Coalition Government
  • In a multi-party system, a single party sometimes may not secure the majority required to form a government.
  • In such a case, some parties join together to form the government. This government is called a coalition government.
  • Generally, a party which gets the majority of votes leads the coalition.
  • Before joining the coalition, parties hold discussions and agree upon a common programme. This functions as a broad outline for the policies of the new government.
• Advantages of a Coalition Government
  • Represents a wider public opinion as it represents different parties.
  • Adopts a consensus-based approach that leads to less political confrontation.
• Disadvantages of a Coalition Government
  • Prone to disagreements and conflicts among the allies as their basic ideologies are generally different.
  • May experience sharp conflicts and delays in the implementation of some government policies.
• Role of the Opposition
  • The opposition plays an important role in a democracy by keeping a check on the government's policies for the welfare of the country and the people.
  • Opposition parties create public opinion by holding demonstrations, rallies, and public meetings.