Glossary and Important Information - Electoral Politics | Social Studies (SST) Class 9 PDF Download

Glossary and Important Information

1.   By-election : Means an election held to fill a vacancy caused by either death, resignation or any other reason.

2.   Campaigning : Refers to a process by which a candidate tries to persuade the vote to vote for him rather than for others.

3.   Constituency : It refers to an area delimited for the purpose of election.

4.   Elcectorate : It refers to the entire body of people who are qualified to vote in the elections for the legislature.

5.   Election Commission : A parliamentary body constituted to conduct free and fair election in the country.

6.   Election Manifesto : A document published by each political party before election containing the policies and programme of that party.

7.   Franchise : Refers to the right of people to vote and elect their representatives to make laws.

8.   Opposition parties : The parties which are defeated in the election do not form the government but form the opposition and keep the government in check.

9.   Public opinion : Opinion of the electorate on all major-social political, economic and other important issues.

10. General Election : When an election is held in all constituencies and people from all parts of the country participate to choose their representatives for Parliament or state legislative Assembly, it is called a general election.

11. Secret Ballot : System of casting one’s vote is secrecy so that the choice of the voter remains a secret and is not known to others.

12. Print Media : Means of public information which consists of News papers, Periodicals and Magazines.

13. Electronic Media : Means of public information system which runs on electronics like Radio, T.V., Computer etc.

14. Universal Adult Franchise : Every Indian citizen of 18 years and above has the right to vote irrespective of caste, creed or sex.

15. One Person one vote : Every body has  the right to cast one vote and everyone’s vote is of equal importance.

16. Seats : The term refers to number of position in any legislature.

17. Election : A contest of power between different candidate and parties.

18. Electoral Participation : It entails participating in the election procedure through voting, contesting election, compainging .

19. Electoral Roll : It is the voter’s list prepared by a door to door survey to include only bonafide voter and minimise role of bogus voters.

20. Rigging : Any unfair practice indulged in during election is called rigging.

21. Turnout : The percentage of eligible voters who cast their votes in an election.

22. Incumbent : The current holder of a political office.

23.Code of conduct : A set of norms and guide lines to be followed by political parties and contesting candidates during election time.