Electoral Politics Class 9 Civics | CBSE Notes, NCERT Solutions & Exam Preparation

Overview of Elections in a Democracy

In modern democracies, people govern through their representatives, as direct governance by all citizens is neither possible nor necessary in large communities. Elections are the mechanism by which these representatives are chosen.

Why Elections Are Necessary and Useful

Elections are considered essential for any representative democracy. They provide a mechanism for people to:

• Choose their law-makers.
• Form the government and make major decisions.
• Select the party whose policies will guide the government and law-making.
• Choose representatives at regular intervals and change them if they wish.

Electoral Competition

Elections are fundamentally about political competition.

• Forms of Competition: This takes various forms, most obviously competition among political parties, and at the constituency level, among candidates.
• Demerits: Competition can lead to disunity and 'factionalism' within localities, with parties and leaders often leveling allegations and using "dirty tricks". It can also discourage "good people" from entering politics and prevent the formulation of sensible long-term policies.
• Merits and Incentives: Despite the demerits, the framers of the Constitution opted for free competition, believing it works better in the long run. It acts as a system where political leaders are rewarded for serving the people and punished for not doing so. Regular competition incentivizes parties to address issues people care about, increasing their chances of victory, while failure to satisfy voters leads to losing elections. This is compared to how a market works, where a shopkeeper is forced to provide good service to retain customers.

What Makes an Election Democratic?

To distinguish democratic elections from non-democratic ones, minimum conditions must be met:

1. Universal Franchise and Equal Value: Everyone should be able to choose, meaning everyone should have one vote, and every vote should have equal value.
2. Real Choice: There must be genuine choices, with parties and candidates free to contest and offer real alternatives to voters.
3. Regular Intervals: Choice must be offered regularly, with elections held every few years.
4. People's Preference Elected: The candidate preferred by the people should be the one elected.
5. Free and Fair Manner: Elections must be conducted in a free and fair manner, allowing people to choose genuinely.

India's System of Elections

India's elections are assessed against these democratic yardsticks.

Overview of India's Electoral System

• Regularity: Lok Sabha (national) and Vidhan Sabha (state assembly) elections are held regularly every five years.
• General Elections: After five years, the term of elected representatives ends, and the Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha dissolves. Elections are held simultaneously across all constituencies, either on the same day or within a few days, known as a general election.
• By-elections: Sometimes, an election is held for a single constituency to fill a vacancy due to a member's death or resignation, called a by-election.

Electoral Constituencies

• Area-Based Representation: India follows an area-based system where the country is divided into electoral constituencies for election purposes.
• Lok Sabha Constituencies: The country is divided into 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the elected representative called a Member of Parliament (MP). Each constituency is designed to have a roughly equal population to ensure every vote has equal value.
• Assembly Constituencies: Each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies, where the elected representative is called a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). A single Parliamentary constituency encompasses several Assembly constituencies.
• Local Body Constituencies: The same system applies to Panchayat and Municipal elections, where villages or towns are divided into "wards" that elect one member each.
• "Seats": Constituencies are often referred to as "seats." For example, Lok Dal winning "60 seats" in Haryana means its candidates won in 60 Assembly constituencies.

Reserved Constituencies

• Purpose: To ensure fair representation for weaker sections, the Constitution makers established a special system of reserved constituencies. This prevents influential and resourceful individuals from dominating elections and ensures the voices of significant population sections are heard in Parliament and Assemblies, making democracy more representative.
• Categories:
  • Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST): Some constituencies are reserved, meaning only a person belonging to the SC or ST can contest from that constituency.
  • Current Numbers (as of January 26, 2019): In the Lok Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for SCs and 47 for STs, a number proportional to their share in the total population.
  • Other Backward Classes (OBC): This reservation system was extended to OBCs at district and local levels in many states, though the proportion varies by state.
  • Women: One-third of seats in rural and urban local bodies are reserved for women candidates. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 (Women's Reservation Act 2023) also reserves one-third of seats in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies for women.

Voters' List (Electoral Roll)

• Preparation: A list of eligible voters, officially called the Electoral Roll or Voters' List, is prepared well before elections and distributed.
• Principle: This upholds the principle of universal adult franchise, ensuring everyone aged 18 and above has one vote of equal value, regardless of caste, religion, or gender. Only in rare cases are criminals or persons with unsound minds denied the right to vote.
• Maintenance: The list is regularly updated, with new voters added and names of those who have moved or died deleted. A complete revision occurs every five years.
• Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC): Introduced to prevent impersonation, although it is not compulsory for voting; other identity proofs are accepted.

Nomination of Candidates

• Eligibility: Almost anyone who is eligible to vote can be a candidate. The minimum age for a candidate is 25 years, compared to 18 for voters.
• Party 'Ticket': Political parties nominate their candidates, who receive the party symbol and support (known as a 'party ticket').
• Mandatory Declarations: Candidates must fill a 'nomination form,' provide a 'security deposit,' and make a legal declaration with full details of:
  • Serious criminal cases pending against them.
  • Assets and liabilities of themselves and their family.
  • Educational qualifications. This information is made public, allowing voters to make informed decisions.
• No Educational Qualification: There are no specific educational qualifications required for holding political office, as the relevant qualification is considered the ability to understand and represent people's interests, which is judged by voters every five years. Imposing educational qualifications would also disenfranchise a majority of citizens.

Election Campaign

• Purpose: To give people a chance to choose their preferred representatives, government, and policies through open discussion.
• Duration: Campaigns typically take place for two weeks between the announcement of the final list of candidates and the polling date. However, parties often start preparing months in advance.
• Activities: Candidates contact voters, leaders address meetings, and parties mobilize supporters. Media (newspapers, television) are filled with election-related stories and debates.
• Key Slogans (Examples):
  • "Garibi Hatao" (Remove poverty): Congress party led by Indira Gandhi in 1971 Lok Sabha elections.
  • "Save Democracy": Janata Party under Jayaprakash Narayan in 1977 Lok Sabha elections.
  • "Land to the Tiller": Left Front in 1977 West Bengal Assembly elections.
  • "Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus": N. T. Rama Rao of Telugu Desam Party in 1983 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.

Election Law and Model Code of Conduct

To ensure fairness, election law prohibits parties or candidates from:

• Bribing or threatening voters.
• Appealing to voters based on caste or religion.
• Using government resources for campaigns.
• Spending above specified limits (₹25 lakh for Lok Sabha, ₹10 lakh for Assembly constituency). Violations can lead to the election being rejected by the court.

Additionally, a Model Code of Conduct agreed upon by political parties dictates that no party or candidate can:

• Use any place of worship for propaganda.
• Use government vehicles, aircrafts, or officials for elections.
• Lay foundation stones, make big policy decisions, or promise public facilities once elections are announced.

Polling and Counting of Votes

• Polling Day: Voters cast their ballots at designated 'polling booths'. Election officials identify voters, mark their fingers, and allow them to vote. Agents of each candidate are present to ensure fair voting.
• Voting Method: Traditionally via ballot paper, now commonly using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which display candidate names and party symbols. Voters press a button for their chosen candidate.
• Counting Day: After polling, EVMs are sealed and taken to a secure location. On a fixed date, EVMs are opened, and votes for each candidate are counted. Candidate agents are present to oversee the process. The candidate with the highest number of votes is declared elected. Results are usually declared on the same day, clarifying who will form the next government.

Cost of Elections in India

• Expenditure: In 2014, the government spent about ₹3,500 crores on Lok Sabha elections, approximately ₹40 per voter. Parties and candidates spent even more, with total expenditure around ₹30,000 crores (₹500 per voter).
• Perspective: While seemingly large, this expenditure is compared to other government costs, like buying nuclear submarines (₹3,000 crores each in 2005) or hosting the Commonwealth Games (₹20,000 crores in 2010), prompting the reader to decide if elections are "too expensive".

What Makes Elections in India Democratic?

The source discusses several factors contributing to the democratic nature of Indian elections, despite reported malpractices.

Independent Election Commission (EC)

• Independence: India's EC is an independent and powerful body, enjoying the same level of independence as the judiciary. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President but is not answerable to the government and is virtually impossible to remove.
• Wide-Ranging Powers: The EC makes decisions on every aspect of election conduct, from announcement to results declaration. It enforces the Code of Conduct and punishes violations. During election periods, the EC can order the government to follow guidelines to prevent misuse of power and can transfer government officials. Government officers on election duty work under the EC's control.
• Enforcement: The EC has increasingly exercised its powers, reprimanding the government and administration for lapses. It can order repolls if polling is deemed unfair. Even ruling parties must obey the EC, demonstrating its independence and power.

Popular Participation

• Voter Turnout: Measured by the percentage of eligible voters who cast their vote, India's voter turnout has remained stable or increased over the last 50 years, in contrast to declining turnouts in Europe and North America.
• Participation by Social Groups: In India, poor, illiterate, and underprivileged people vote in larger proportions than the rich and privileged, unlike in Western democracies like the US where poorer and minority groups vote less.
• Importance of Vote: Common people in India attach significant importance to elections, believing their vote matters and can pressure parties to adopt favorable policies.
• Increasing Interest: Voters' interest in election-related activities (e.g., campaign participation) has been increasing, with over one-third of voters participating in campaign activities during the 2004 elections.

Acceptance of Election Outcome

The outcomes of Indian elections demonstrate their fairness:

• Routine Defeat of Ruling Parties: Ruling parties frequently lose elections at both national and state levels in India. In fact, the ruling party lost in two out of every three elections held in the last 25 years.
• Incumbent Defeat: About half of sitting MPs or MLAs lose elections in India, a rare occurrence in countries like the US.
• Loss of Money/Criminal Candidates: Candidates known for spending heavily or having criminal connections often lose elections.
• Acceptance of Verdict: With very few exceptions, election outcomes are generally accepted as the "people's verdict" by defeated parties. This widespread acceptance highlights the overall free and fair nature of Indian elections.

Challenges to Free and Fair Elections

Despite the generally democratic nature, certain limitations and challenges exist:

• Money Power: Candidates and parties with significant financial resources enjoy a large and unfair advantage over smaller parties and independents.
• Criminal Connections: In some areas, candidates with criminal ties can push others out of the electoral race and secure nominations from major parties.
• Family Domination: Some political parties are dominated by certain families, leading to tickets being distributed to relatives.
• Limited Choice: Often, major parties are similar in policies and practices, offering little real choice to ordinary citizens.
• Disadvantage for Smaller Parties/Independents: Smaller parties and independent candidates face a huge disadvantage compared to larger parties.

These challenges are not unique to India and are a concern for those who believe in democracy, prompting demands for electoral reforms.

Glossary

• Code of Conduct: Norms and guidelines for political parties and candidates during elections.
• Constituency: A geographical area whose voters elect a representative.
• Incumbent: The current holder of a political office.
• Level Playing Field: A condition where all parties and candidates have equal opportunities in elections.
• Rigging: Fraudulent practices used to increase votes, including ballot stuffing, multiple voting, or bribing officials.
• Turnout: The percentage of eligible voters who cast their votes.

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