HOTS: Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System | Social Science Class 8 - New NCERT PDF Download

Q1. Which of the following best explains why a universal adult franchise is important in a democracy?
(a) It allows only educated citizens to vote
(b) It ensures every citizen has an equal voice in governance
(c) It reduces the number of political parties
(d) It prevents elections from being expensive

Ans: (b) It ensures every citizen has an equal voice in governance
The universal adult franchise, as stipulated in Article 326, grants every citizen aged 18 and above one vote of equal value, regardless of caste, creed, or educational background, thereby promoting equality and strengthening democracy.

Q2. A 22-year-old citizen wants to contest the Lok Sabha elections. What will happen?
(a) He can contest, as he is above 18
(b) He cannot contest, as the minimum age is 25
(c) He can contest only from his home constituency
(d) He must be a graduate to contest

Ans: (b) He cannot contest, as the minimum age is 25
The constitutional rules require candidates for the Lok Sabha to be at least 25 years old, preventing a 22-year-old from contesting.

Q3. The “First-Past-the-Post” system in India often results in:
(a) Candidates winning without a majority of votes
(b) Every candidate needs 51% of the votes
(c) Parties are always forming coalition governments
(d) Voting is being conducted in multiple rounds

Ans: (a) Candidates winning without a majority of votes
The First-Past-the-Post system, the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins, even if they don’t secure 50% of the votes, unlike systems requiring a majority.

Q4. The Election Commission enforces the Model Code of Conduct during elections to:
(a) Restrict the number of candidates contesting
(b) Ensure fair play and prevent misuse of power
(c) Select political parties for government formation
(d) Decide election results in case of disputes

Ans: (b) Ensure fair play and prevent misuse of power
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) sets rules to prevent misuse of government resources and ensure fair elections, as seen in guidelines against announcing new schemes during elections.

Q5. Which of the following elections in India uses an indirect method of voting?
(a) Lok Sabha elections
(b) Rajya Sabha elections
(c) State Legislative Assembly elections
(d) Gram Panchayat elections

Ans: (b) Rajya Sabha elections
The Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly by elected MLAs using the single transferable vote system, unlike the direct voting in Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local elections.

Q6. Imagine you are a citizen of India in 1951, when the first general elections were held. What challenges do you think the Election Commission faced in conducting elections at that time?
Ans: The ECI faced significant logistical and social hurdles in 1951 due to India’s vast and diverse population.  

• Vast Population and Illiteracy: Managing millions of voters, many illiterate, required creating voter lists and educating them on voting processes.  
• Geographic Barriers: Reaching remote areas with limited infrastructure, like roads, was difficult in India’s diverse geography.  
• Logistical Issues: Setting up polling stations across 543 constituencies with minimal technology posed a massive challenge for the newly formed ECI in 1951–52.

Q7. Analyse how the universal adult franchise strengthened India’s democracy, especially compared to societies where voting rights were restricted.
Ans: Universal adult franchise has been a cornerstone of India’s inclusive democracy.  

• Equal Voice: Article 326 grants every citizen aged 18 and above an equal vote, promoting equality across caste, gender, and religion, unlike societies (e.g., pre-1971 Switzerland) where women or minorities were excluded.  
• Inclusivity: It empowered marginalized groups, like the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, with reserved seats, ensuring their representation, unlike restrictive systems that favored elites.  
• Strengthened Democracy: By allowing 980 million voters in 2024 to choose leaders, it fosters accountability, contrasting with restricted systems where power concentrates among a few.

Q8. Do you think the “First-Past-the-Post” system is always the best way to represent people’s choice? Suggest an alternative and justify your view.
Ans: The First-Past-the-Post system has limitations in reflecting diverse voter preferences.  

• Critique: Candidates can win with less than 50% votes, potentially sidelining diverse preferences in India’s varied electorate.  
• Alternative: Proportional representation allocates seats based on vote share, ensuring fairer representation of smaller parties and diverse groups.  
• Justification: This aligns with India’s diversity, ensuring broader representation, emphasizing inclusivity through reserved seats.

Q9. Evaluate the role of the Election Commission in ensuring free and fair elections. Why is its independence crucial for democracy?
Ans: The ECI plays a pivotal role in maintaining democratic integrity through robust oversight.  

• Role: The ECI enforces the Model Code of Conduct, implements accessibility measures like braille voter cards, and ensures fairness for 980 million voters.  
• Independence: As an autonomous body since 1950, the ECI prevents government interference, as seen in T.N. Seshan’s reforms, like voter IDs, ensuring impartiality.  
• Importance: Independence upholds public trust and ensures elections reflect the people’s will without bias.

Q10. Imagine India decided to restrict voting rights only to taxpayers. What impact would this have on democracy and equality?
Ans: Restricting voting to taxpayers would undermine India’s democratic principles and equality.  

• Impact on Democracy: Excluding non-taxpayers, especially low-income groups, would weaken the universal franchise, limiting representation for 980 million voters.  
• Impact on Equality: It would favor wealthier citizens, contradicting Article 326’s equal voting rights, creating inequality akin to pre-independence elite systems.  
• Consequences: Voter apathy could rise, and marginalized groups, like the Scheduled Castes, would lose influence, threatening democratic fairness.

Q11. Compare elections for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. How do these differences reflect the balance between people’s representation and state representation?
Ans: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections differ in their methods and purposes, balancing direct and state representation.  

• Lok Sabha Elections: Direct elections by citizens in 543 constituencies using First-Past-the-Post reflect people’s direct choice of MPs.  
• Rajya Sabha Elections: Indirect elections by elected MLAs using the single transferable vote ensure state representation based on population.  
• Balance: Lok Sabha represents the people’s will, while Rajya Sabha, as the Permanent House, balances state interests, ensuring smaller states have a voice.

Q12. The Model Code of Conduct prevents parties from offering gifts or bribes to voters. Do you think stricter punishments are required to make it effective? Give reasons.
Ans: Stricter punishments are needed to enhance the MCC’s effectiveness in curbing electoral malpractices.  

• Need for Stricter Punishments: The MCC bans bribes, but violations persist due to money power, requiring penalties like candidate disqualification.  
• Reasons: Strong punishments ensure fairness, protect voter choice, and maintain trust in the ECI, as seen in T.N. Seshan’s crackdowns.

Q13. In a country as diverse as India, what challenges does the Election Commission face in making elections accessible to all? Suggest practical solutions.
Ans: India’s diversity poses significant accessibility challenges for the ECI, requiring innovative solutions.  

• Challenges: Geographic diversity, a 980 million voter base, and disabilities hinder access, alongside illiteracy and voter apathy.  
• Solutions: Expand home voting for the elderly and disabled, increase mobile polling stations in remote areas, and use multilingual voter education campaigns.

Q14. Suppose India introduced compulsory voting. How would this change elections, political campaigns, and voter behaviour?
Ans: Compulsory voting would transform India’s electoral landscape by boosting participation.  

• Elections: Increased turnout would reduce urban voter apathy, ensuring broader representation across 543 constituencies.  
• Political Campaigns: Parties would target all voters, leading to inclusive campaigns, unlike the current focus on select groups.  
• Voter Behaviour: Citizens would engage more, seeking information, but forced voting might lead to uninformed choices.

Q15. Imagine you are designing an “ideal” election system for India in the future. What changes would you propose in terms of voting technology, representation, or transparency?
Ans: An ideal election system would modernize and enhance fairness in India’s elections.  

• Voting Technology: Introduce secure online voting with biometric verification to increase accessibility, building on ECI’s assistive technologies.  
• Representation: Adopt proportional representation alongside First-Past-the-Post to reflect diverse voter preferences, ensuring smaller parties gain seats.  
• Transparency: Mandate real-time campaign funding disclosure and stricter MCC enforcement with live monitoring to enhance trust.