Class 9 Democratic Politics – Chapter 3 Social Science

Electoral Politics

Question 1. Which of the following statements about the reasons for conducting elections
are false?

(a) Elections enable people to judge the performance of the government.

Answer: (c) Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.

Question 2. Which of these is not a good reason to say that Indian elections are democratic?

a. India has the largest number of voters in the world.

b. India’s Election Commission is very powerful.

c. In India, everyone above the age of 18 has a right to vote.

d. In India, the losing parties accept the electoral verdict.

Answer: (a) India has the largest number of voters in the world.

Question 3. Match the following:

a) It is necessary to keep the voters’ list (i) there is a fair representation of all sections
up to date because of our society
(b) Some constituencies are reserved for (ii) everyone has equal opportunity to elect
SCs and STs so that their representatives
(c) Everyone has one and only one vote so (iii) all candidates must have a fair chance of
that competing in elections
(d) Party in power is not allowed to use (iv) some people may have moved away from
government vehicles because the area where they voted last

Answer:

(a) It is necessary to keep the voters’ list (iv) some people may have moved away from
up to date because the area where they voted last
(b) Some constituencies are reserved for (i) there is a fair representation of all sections
SCs and STs so that of our society
(c) Everyone has one and only one vote so (ii) everyone has equal opportunity to elect
that their representatives
(d) Party in power is not allowed to use (iii) all candidates must have a fair chance of
government vehicles because competing in elections
Question 4. List all the different election related activities mentioned in the chapter and
arrange them in a time sequence, beginning with the first activity and ending with the last.
Some of these activities are given below:

releasing election manifestos; counting of votes; making of voters’ list; election campaign;
declaration of election results; casting of votes; ordering of re-poll; announcing election
schedule; filing nomination.

Answer: Making of voters’ list → Announcing election schedule → Releasing election

Question 5. Surekha is an officer in-charge of ensuring free and fair elections in an assembly
constituency in a state. Describe what should she focus on for each of the following stages
of election:

(a) Election campaign

Answer (a): She will have to focus on various duties such as ensure that candidates cannot
bribe or threaten voters, expenditure limit is not crossed by a candidate, candidates not
appeal to vote in the name of religion or caste, they not use worship place for campaign or
use any government resources.

(b) Polling day

Answer (b): She will have to crosscheck the voters’ list and check ID proof of the voters,
booth capturing not take place. Ensure that Free and fair election should be conducted

(c) Counting day

Answer (c) She have to look on counting is carried out, representatives of all parties present
at counting area in order to avoid malpractices,

Question 6. The table below gives the proportion of different communities among the
candidates who won elections to the US Congress. Compare these to the proportion of
these communities in the population of the US.

Based on this, would you suggest a system of reservations in the US Congress? If yes, why
and for which communities? If no, why not?

Answer: Blacks and Hispanics should be given reservation in the US Congress as per their
percentage in the US population.

Question 7. Can we draw the following conclusions from the information given in this
chapter? Give two facts to support your position for each of these.
(a) Election Commission of India does not have enough powers to conduct free and fair
elections in the country.

Answer (a): The Election Commission of India is powerful enough to conduct free and fair
elections:

 It implements the code of conduct and punishes any candidate or party that violates
it.
 In Elections, Government officials work under the EC and not the government.

(b) There is a high level of popular participation in the elections in our country.

Answer (b): There is a high level of popular participation in the elections:

 Voter turnout has increased over the past years.

(c) It is very easy for the party in power to win an election.

Answer (c): It is not very easy for the party in power to win an election:

 The ruling parties routinely lose elections.

(d) Many reforms are needed to make our elections completely free and fair.

Answer (d): Certain Reforms are necessary to make our elections completely free and fair:

 To ensure that independent and small parties not suffer in elections.

Question 8. Chinappa was convicted for torturing his wife for dowry. Satbir was held guilty
of practicing untouchability. The court did not allow either of them to contest elections.
Does this decision go against the principles of democratic elections?

Answer: This decision does not go against the principles of democratic elections. Any person
who is convicted for a crime has not right to remain a part of the society and hence has no
right to contest the election.

Question 9. Here are some reports of electoral malpractices from different parts of the
world. Is there anything that these countries can learn from India to improve their
elections? What would you suggest in each case?

(a) During an election in Nigeria, the officer in charge of counting votes deliberately
increased the votes of one candidate and declared him elected. The court later found out
that more than five lakh votes cast for one candidate were counted in favour of another.
Answer (a): In this case, representatives of each candidate should be present to make sure
that the votes are counted in a fair way.

(b) Just before elections in Fiji, a pamphlet was distributed warning voters that a vote for
former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry will lead to bloodshed. This was a threat to
voters of Indian origin.

Answer (b): The election commission should set up an enquiry into the case and debar the
candidate or party involved in distributing such pamphlets.

(c) In the US, each state has its own method of voting, its own procedure of counting and its
own authority for conducting elections. Authorities in the state of Florida took many
controversial decisions that favoured Mr. Bush in the presidential elections in 2000. But no
one could change those decisions.

Answer (c): There should be a single election commission which should be free from
political influence and should be responsible for conducting elections throughout the
country.

Question 10. Here are some reports of malpractices in Indian elections. Identify what the
problem in each case is. What should be done to correct the situation?

(a) Following the announcement of elections, the minister promised to provide financial aid
to reopen the closed sugar mill.

Answer (a): After announcement of election, it is not legal to announce policy decisions
according to Code of Conduct. The minister should be immediately taken to task by the
Election Commission.

(b) Opposition parties alleged that their statements and campaign was not given due
attention in Doordarshan and All India Radio.

Answer (b): The election commission must ensure that all political party are given equal
opportunity to appear on Doordarshan and All India Radio. EC take action against misuse of
this media.

(c) An inquiry by the Election Commission showed that electoral rolls of a state contain
name of 20 lakh fake voters.

Answer (c): The presence of the fake voters means that the elections were rigged by the
authorities who prepared the electoral rolls. The election commission should supervise
preparation of fresh electoral rolls.

(d) The hoodlums of a political party were moving with guns, physically preventing
supporters of other political parties to meet the voters and attacking meetings of other
parties.
Answer (d): By using hoodlums, the political party is terrorising its rivals. The election
commission should order the arrest of the hoodlums and bar the party from the elections.

Question 11. Ramesh was not in class when this chapter was being taught. He came the
next day and repeated what he had heard from his father. Can you tell Ramesh what is
wrong with these statements?

(a) Women always vote the way men tell them to. So what is the point of giving them the
right to vote?

Answer (a): The statement is wrong because the policy of secret ballot ensures that an
individual can vote for whoever he/she wants. Women are fully capable of taking decisions
on their own and selecting the candidate they like.

(b) Party politics creates tension in society. Elections should be decided by consensus not by
competition.

Answer (b): Competition works as both deterrent and motivator for the political candidates.
A fear of losing the election and a motivation for winning the elections works in favour of
people.

(c) Only graduates should be allowed to stand as candidates for elections.

Answer (c): Educational qualification is not required to understand the people’s needs, and
to represent their interests. Therefore, it is not necessary for politicians to be graduates.