DEMOCRATIC POLITICS GRADE IX Electoral Politics..........Part I

SUMMARY OF THE TOPICS  ON WHICH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ARE GIVEN:

WHY ELECTIONS?
Why do we need elections?
What makes an election democratic?
Is it good to have political competition?

WHAT IS OUR SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS?
Electoral constituencies 
Reserved Constituencies
Voter's list
Nomination of candidates
Election Campaign
Polling and counting of votes


WHAT MAKES ELECTIONS IN INDIA DEMOCRATIC?
Independent  Election Commission
Popular participation
Acceptance of election outcome
Challenges to free and fair elections

I. Answer the following questions :

Q1.Why elections are considered essential  for any representative democracy? 

1. Elections are considered essential for any representative democracy because in an election the voters make many choices.
2. They can choose who will make laws for them.
3. They can choose who will form the government and take major
   decisions.
4. They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law making.

Q2. List the  conditions required for elections to be democratic election.

or

What makes an election democratic? 

1. Everyone should be able to choose that is everyone should have one vote and every vote should have equal value. 
2. There should be something to choose from that is  Political parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters.
3. The choice should be offered at regular intervals therefore elections must be held regularly after every few years.
4. The candidate preferred by the people should get elected.
5. Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can choose as they really wish.

Q3.What are the demerits of  an electoral competition?

1. An electoral competition has many demerits:-
2. It creates a sense of disunity and‘factionalism’ in every locality. 
3. It creates ‘party-politics'. 
4. Different political parties and leaders often level allegations against one another. 
5. Parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections.
6. The pressure to win electoral fights does not allow sensible long-term policies to be formulated. 
7. Some good people who may wish to serve the country do not
   enter this arena as they do not like the idea of being dragged into unhealthy competition.