Election and democracy

              Chapter - 8

*ELECTION AND DEMOCRACY*

1. Write the importance of election?

📚 Election is the method by which the representatives of the people are elected in a democratic system.

📚 Without election, democratic system will not exist.

2. Write the importance of election in a democratic system?

◻️ Elections reflect the aspirations of the people.

■ People can select the rulers of their choice though elections.

◻️People can participate and respond in democratic process.

◻️ Election is a good reason for the rulers to act according to the aspirations of people.

3. Make a flow chart to show the method of election adopted to various Representative institutions of India.

*Direct Election*

◻️Lok Sabha
◻️State Legislative Assembly
◻️Local Self Governments

*Indirect Election*

◻️President
◻️Vice President
◻️Rajya Sabha

4. What is the difference between direct election and indirect election?

■ People directly electing their representatives is called direct election

• Eg: Lok Sabha election, Panchayat member.

◻️Method of election in which representatives are chosen by the elected representatives of people is indirect election.

Eg: Election of the President, Panchayat President.

5. Narrate the procedure of simple majority system.

◻️ The country is divided into various electoral districts known as constituencies.

◻️ One representative is elected from one constituency.

■ Any number of candidates can contest.

◻️ The candidate who gets the highest number of votes is elected.

6. Write short note about proportional Representation in India.

◻️Proportional representation is adopted to elect the President, Vice-President and members of the Rajya Sabha where we follow indirect election.

◻️MLAs of State Legislative Assemblies from each state elect members of the Rajyasabha.

◻️ In proportion to their strength in the state legislative assemblies, each political party can elect representatives to Rajya Sabha.

7. What are constituencies? Write any three features of it?

◻️ To elect people's representatives, the states and union territories are divided into small geographical areas.
These geographical areas are called constituencies.

◻️Each constituency has almost equal number of population.

◻️ 543 Lok Sabha constituencies in India.

◻️At present Kerala has 20 Lok Sabha Constituencies.

◻️ One representative is elected from each constituency.

8.  Write short note on Kerala's assembly constituencies.

◻️Each state has assembly constituencies in proportion to its population.

◻️At present Kerala has 140 Assembly Constituencies.

9. Write notes on reserved constituency.

◻️Ensure the representation of the weak and the oppressed section of the society.

◻️Accordingly seats have been reserved in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their population.

◻️Only those who belong to the reserved category can contest in elections from the reserved constituencies.

◻️People belonging to various categories can cast their votes.

◻️At present, 84 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 seats for the Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha.

10. What are the provisions included in the Constitution for a free and fair system of election in India.

◻️Universal adult franchise, right to contest in elections, independent election commission.

11. Explain universal adult franchise.

◻️ The right of all adult citizens to vote irrespective of caste, religion, race, language, sex,
place of birth, etc. is universal adult franchise.

■ In India, everyone who has attained 18 years of age has the right to vote.

12. How an Indian citizen can be enrolled in voters list ?

◻️Complete 18 years of age on January 1st.

◻️ Settle in a constituency for at least 6 months.

◻️Give application in form no. 6A.

13. Write the importance of Election Commission of India.

◻️A multi member body with one Chief Election Commissioner and two Commissioners.

◻️ They are appointed by the President.

◻️To help the election commission Chief Electoral Officers are appointed in all states.

◻️The Election Commission does not maintain many officials to conduct the elections.

◻️The central and state government employees are deputed for election duty whenever needed.

14. Point out the functions of Election Commission.

◻️Supervise the election.

◻️Prepare voters list.

◻️Declare the dates of different stages of election.

◻️ Allot election symbols.

◻️Frame code of conduct.

◻️The appointment and training of election officials.

◻️Voting, counting of votes and declaration of results.

◻️ Examine election expenses of candidates.

15. The electoral system of India has certain drawbacks. Mention

1). Influence of money.

■ Voters are influenced by offer of money.

◻️ Political parties spend large amount of money for election campaigns.

2) Election-related violence

■ Violence on the polling day.

◻️ Bogus voting and booth capturing.

3) Influence of caste and religion

• Caste and religious considerations influence selection of candidates.

4) Women do not get due consideration during the selection of candidates.

• Poor representation of women in the parliament and legislative assemblies.

16. Write the reforms implemented by the Election Commission to correct the election process.

◻️ Identity card with the voter's photo has been introduced.

◻️Limit has been set on the election expenses of candidates.

◻️Implemented code of conduct for political parties and candidates.

◻️ Electronic voting machine (E V M) has been introduced in elections.

◻️Published voters' list with photo of the electors.

◻️Negative voting system has been introduced.

17. Write down the main functions of political party?

◻️ Connect the government and the people.

◻️Form public opinion.

◻️ Create political awareness.

◻️Contest elections and the party attaining majority of seats form the government.

◻️ The parties which do not get majority of seats, functions as responsible opposition.

◻️ Correct the wrong policies of the government.

◻️ Put forward various policies and programmes.

18. Explain the words coalition politics and coalition government.

◻️ On occasion where no political party can get majority in elections, parties who can co- operate, form coalition fronts based on a common minimum programme and contest elections. This is coalition politics.

◻️ When such coalition fronts win the election and form government it is a coalition government.

19.  What is Psephology?

👉 Psephology is the science of predicting election results before the declaration of results, after analysing the possibilities of political parties and coalition fronts.
The results are predicted based on opinion polls, media analysis, interviews, exit polls and the previous election results.