Page 226
Check Your Progress
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Jagdeep and Navpreet read this story and drew the following conclusions. Can you say which of these are right or wrong (or if the information given in the story is inadequate to call them right or wrong):
Statement Ans 1. Elections can lead to changes in the policy of the government. Right 2. The Governor invited Devi Lal to become the Chief Minister because he was impressed with his speeches. Wrong 3. The party that wins the election forms the government. Right 4. People are unhappy with every ruling party and vote against it in the next election. Inadequate information 5. This election led to a lot of economic development in Haryana. Inadequate information 6. The Congress Chief Minister need not have resigned after his party lost elections. Wrong
Page 228
Activity
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Do you know when the last Assembly election was held in your state? Which other elections have taken place in your locality in the last five years? Write down the level of elections (National, Assembly, Panchayat, etc.), when were they held and the name and designation (MP, MLA, etc.) of the persons who got elected from your area.
• National Level (Lok Sabha): Elections held in May 2024 to elect the Member of Parliament (MP).
• State Level (Vidhan Sabha): Elections held in May 2024 to elect the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
• Local Level (Municipal / Panchayat): Elections held for Municipal Corporations/Municipalities or Gram Panchayats to elect Ward Corporators, Ward Members, or Sarpanches.
Page 232
Read the Cartoon
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Read these two cartoons carefully. Write the message of each of them in your own words. Have a discussion in class on which of the two is closer to the reality in your own locality. Draw a cartoon to depict what elections do to the relationship between voters and political leaders.
• First Cartoon (Irfan Khan): Shows a political leader carrying a heavy bag of grandiose plans, promises, and announcements, while an ordinary rural citizen asserts the ultimate democratic power by saying, "I have the vote!" It conveys that despite politicians making tall claims, sovereign power ultimately rests in the hands of the voter at the polling booth.
• Second Cartoon: Depicts a politician walking away carrying a heavy sack of unfulfilled election "Promises," while a starved dog labeled "VOTER" looks on eagerly. It highlights the political cynicism where promises are lavished before elections, but voters are largely neglected and left with empty expectations once polling concludes.
Page 234
Map Activity (Gulbarga)
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Why is the boundary of the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency not the same as the district boundary of Gulbarga (Kalaburagi)?
Constituencies are drawn strictly on the basis of population by the Delimitation Commission to ensure that each Parliamentary constituency contains roughly an equal number of voters, upholding the principle of one vote, one value. In contrast, district boundaries are drawn for administrative convenience. Therefore, some assembly segments of a district may be included in or excluded from an adjacent Lok Sabha constituency.
Page 238
Map Activity (Lok Sabha Constituencies)
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■ What is the number of Lok Sabha constituencies in your state and the neighbouring two states?
■ Which states have more than 30 Lok Sabha constituencies?
■ Why do some states have such a large number of constituencies?
■ Why are some constituencies small in area while others are very big?
■ Are the constituencies reserved for the SCs and STs evenly spread all over the entire country or are there more in some areas?• Constituencies in home state and neighbours: Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha constituencies; neighboring Tamil Nadu has 39 and Telangana has 17 constituencies.
• States with more than 30 constituencies: Uttar Pradesh (80), Maharashtra (48), West Bengal (42), Bihar (40), and Tamil Nadu (39).
• Why some states have a large number: Lok Sabha seats are allocated to each state in proportion to its total population; more populous states have more constituencies.
• Why some are small and others big in area: Constituencies are delimited by population size, not geographical area. Highly urbanized, densely populated regions form small geographical constituencies, whereas sparsely populated, mountainous, or desert regions (such as Ladakh or parts of Rajasthan) cover vast geographical areas to encompass the required population.
• Distribution of SC and ST reserved constituencies: They are not evenly spread. Reserved constituencies are located where there is a higher concentration of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe populations, in accordance with constitutional provisions.
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Check Your Progress - Match the Principles
| A | Ans | B |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Universal adult franchise | ( b ) | a. Each constituency has roughly the same population |
| 2. Representation of weaker sections | ( d ) | b. Everyone who is 18 years of age or older has a right to vote |
| 3. Open political competition | ( c ) | c. Anyone can form a party or contest elections |
| 4. One vote one value | ( a ) | d. Reservation of seats for the SCs and the STs |
Activity
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How was the election campaign in your constituency in the last Lok Sabha elections? Prepare a list of what the candidates and parties said and did.
• Campaign Activities: Organizing public rallies, street-corner corner meetings, door-to-door visits by party workers, distributing pamphlets, running video vans, and campaigning via social media platforms.
• Key Promises and Issues: Parties raised national developmental schemes, welfare pensions, local infrastructure projects (roads, drinking water, and irrigation), price control, job creation for youth, and women's empowerment initiatives.
Page 248
Election Result in Gulbarga
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■ What is the percentage of voters who had actually cast their votes?
■ To win an election is it necessary for a person to secure more than half the votes polled?• Voter Turnout Percentage: Total eligible voters were 17.21 lakhs and 9.98 lakh voters cast their votes. Turnout percentage = (9.98 / 17.21) × 100 = 57.99% (approx 58%).
• Majority Requirement: No, in India's 'First Past the Post' electoral system, it is not necessary to secure more than 50% of the total votes polled. A candidate needs only to secure more votes than any other contesting candidate in that constituency to be declared elected.
Check Your Progress - Fair and Unfair Electoral Practices
| Statement | Ans |
|---|---|
| 1. A minister flags off a new train in his constituency a week before polling day. | Unfair |
| 2. A candidate promises that she will get a new train for her constituency if she is elected. | Fair |
| 3. Supporters of a candidate take the voters to a temple and make them take an oath that they will vote for him. | Unfair |
| 4. The supporters of a candidate distribute blankets in slums in return for a promise for vote. | Unfair |
Page 252
Check Your Progress - Powers of the Election Commission
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Read these headlines carefully and identify which powers are used by the Election Commission in each instance to ensure free and fair elections.
• EC issues notification constituting 14th Lok Sabha: Power to notify, schedule, and conduct all aspects of general elections.
• EC tightens norms for poll expenses / EC to keep closer eye on hidden poll costs: Power to enforce expenditure limits and prevent misuse of money power.
• EC to visit Gujarat again, review poll arrangements: Power of superintendence, direction, and control over administrative election readiness.
• HC asks EC to bar 'criminal' netas: Power to regulate candidate qualifications and affidavits as directed by the judiciary.
• EC shoots down HM advice on poll reforms: Constitutional independence of the EC from executive and ministerial interference.
• Photo I-cards not mandatory in Bihar polls: Power to decide voter identification criteria and facilitate genuine voter participation.
• EC accepts new Haryana DGP: Power to control administrative appointments and transfers of senior police and civil officers during elections.
• EC will seek power to censure political ads: Power to implement the Model Code of Conduct and curb biased political propaganda.
• EC says no immediate plan to ban Exit Polls: Regulatory authority to oversee media reporting and polling disclosures around election days.
• EC orders repoll in 398 more booths: Power to nullify fraudulent or disrupted voting and order fresh polls to ensure fairness.
Page 254
Activity
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Ask the eligible voters in your family whether they voted in the last election to the Lok Sabha or to the state assembly. If they did not, why did they not? If they did, which candidate and which party did they vote for and why? What was their expectation from the candidate and the party they voted for?
Eligible voters in the family confirmed that they exercised their franchise in both the Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections. Voting was guided by evaluating party manifestos, candidate integrity, and past local development. Their primary expectations include improving local civic amenities, ensuring affordable quality education and healthcare, maintaining communal harmony, and providing employment opportunities for youth.
Page 256
Read the Cartoon (Electoral Campaigns)
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Titled 'Electoral Campaigns', this cartoon was drawn in the Latin American context. Does this apply to India and to other democracies in the world?
The cartoon shows a victory podium made out of massive stacks of money bundles, indicating that electoral positions 1, 2, and 3 are decided by financial muscle. Yes, this applies to India and other global democracies to an extent because wealthy candidates and parties with immense corporate resources enjoy an unfair campaign advantage over smaller parties and independent candidates.
Page 258
Read the Cartoon (R.K. Laxman - Today! Tomorrow)
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Is this an accurate picture of what happens to the voter before and after elections? Must this always happen in a democracy? Can you think of examples when this did not happen?
• Accuracy: It captures a recurring political satire: before polling day ("Today!"), candidates bow respectfully to the common voter begging for votes; once the results are out ("Tomorrow"), victorious leaders walk proudly past ordinary citizens, ignoring them.
• Must it always happen: No. When citizens are active, organized, and vigilant, they constantly demand accountability from elected representatives.
• Counter-examples: Leaders who fail to serve their constituents are routinely voted out in subsequent elections; grassroots MLAs and MPs who maintain regular public grievance offices and work consistently for local needs remain deeply connected with the people.
Check Your Progress - Strengths and Weaknesses
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Here are some facts on Indian elections. Comment on each of these to say whether they reflect the strength or the weakness of our electoral system:
■ The 16th Lok Sabha has 12 per cent women members.
■ The Election Commission often refuses to accept the government's advice about when the elections should be held.
■ The 16th Lok Sabha has more than 440 members whose assets are more than Rs. 1 crore.
■ After losing an election the Chief Minister said: "I respect the people's verdict".• 12 per cent women members: Weakness. Women constitute nearly half the country's population, so having only 12% representation indicates significant gender disparity in political representation.
• EC refuses government's advice on election timing: Strength. Demonstrates the independent constitutional authority of the Election Commission, showing it is not subordinate to the executive.
• More than 440 members with assets over Rs. 1 crore: Weakness. Highlights the excessive dominance of money power, reducing equal opportunities for ordinary, less affluent citizens to contest and win.
• Defeated Chief Minister says "I respect the people's verdict": Strength. Reflects deep democratic maturity and faith in free and fair elections, where incumbent rulers gracefully accept the peaceful transfer of power.
Page 260
Exercises 1 to 3
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1. Which of the following statements about the reasons for conducting elections are false?
Answer: c Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.
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2. Which of these is not a good reason to say that Indian elections are democratic?
Answer: a India has the largest number of voters in the world.
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3. Match the following:
A Ans B a It is necessary to keep the voters list up to date because ( iv ) i there is a fair representation of all sections of our society b Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that ( i ) ii everyone has equal opportunity to elect their representative c Everyone has one and only one vote so that ( ii ) iii all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections d Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because ( iii ) iv some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last
Page 262
Exercises 4 to 8
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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:
1. Making of voters' list
2. Announcing election schedule
3. Filing nomination
4. Releasing election manifestos
5. Election campaign
6. Casting of votes
7. Ordering of re-poll (if required)
8. Counting of votes
9. Declaration of election results -
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: Ensure strict compliance with the Model Code of Conduct; verify that no candidate bribes, intimidates, or appeals to caste/religion; prevent use of official vehicles or government resources; check that spending limits are not breached.
• b Polling day: Ensure smooth functioning of EVMs/VVPATs; verify identity of voters to prevent bogus voting; ensure polling booth security and secrecy of ballot; ensure presence of authorized polling agents of all candidates.
• c Counting day: Ensure counting halls are fortified and secure; inspect EVM seals in the presence of candidate counting agents; record votes accurately round by round; ensure peaceful declaration of results. -
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?
Community House of Representatives (%) Population of US (%) Blacks 8% 13% Hispanics 5% 13% Whites 86% 70% Yes, a system of reserved representation could be suggested for the Black (African American) and Hispanic communities. While Blacks make up 13% of the US population, their representation is only 8%; Hispanics make up 13% but have only 5% representation. Conversely, Whites make up 70% of the population but hold 86% of the seats. Providing representation for these historically disadvantaged minority groups would ensure a fair voice and make American legislative democracy more inclusive. -
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:
• Position: Incorrect conclusion.
• Facts: (1) The EC enjoys constitutional independence similar to the Supreme Court and cannot be removed easily by the government. (2) When on election duty, government staff work directly under EC control, and the EC has the power to cancel fraudulent polls and order repolls.
b There is a high level of popular participation in the elections in our country:
• Position: Correct conclusion.
• Facts: (1) Voter turnout in India has consistently remained between 55% and 66%, with poor, illiterate, and underprivileged citizens voting in higher proportions than the rich. (2) Voter participation in campaign-related activities has risen significantly over the years.
c It is very easy for the party in power to win an election:
• Position: Incorrect conclusion.
• Facts: (1) In two out of every three elections held over the last 25 years, the ruling party lost. (2) About half of all sitting MPs and MLAs routinely lose elections in India.
d Many reforms are needed to make our elections completely free and fair:
• Position: Correct conclusion.
• Facts: (1) Candidates with excessive wealth and big party support enjoy an unfair advantage over smaller parties and independents. (2) In some areas, candidates with criminal records secure party tickets and dynastic politics limits fair opportunity for ordinary citizens. -
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?
No, this decision does not go against the principles of democratic elections. While democracy guarantees the right to contest elections, it also operates under the rule of law. Restricting persons convicted of serious criminal offences or practicing social evils like untouchability protects public interest, preserves the moral sanctity of legislative bodies, and defends citizens' fundamental rights.
Page 264
Exercises 9, 10 & 11
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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 Nigeria (Vote count tampering): Nigeria can adopt India's system of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with VVPAT audit slips, and ensure that counting is conducted openly in the presence of candidate counting agents.
• b Fiji (Threats against Indian-origin voters): Fiji can enforce an independent Election Commission equipped to implement a strict Model Code of Conduct, ensuring that any threat, hate speech, or communal intimidation leads to immediate disqualification and prosecution.
• c US (Decentralized state-level election variations): The US can learn from India's unified, centralized, autonomous Election Commission that enforces uniform rules, standardized voter verification, and consistent procedures across all constituent states. -
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 Minister promising financial aid to sugar mill after election announcement:
- Problem: Violation of the Model Code of Conduct by announcing financial policy inducements.
- Correction: The EC must issue a show-cause notice, halt the project announcement, and take penal action against the candidate.
• b Opposition alleging inadequate coverage on state media:
- Problem: Misuse of state-run media creating an uneven playing field.
- Correction: Enforce the EC's policy of allotting equitable, monitored airtime to all recognized parties on public broadcasters.
• c 20 lakh fake voters found on electoral rolls:
- Problem: Inclusion of bogus names undermining the integrity of the voters' list.
- Correction: Conduct intensive door-to-door summary revisions, digitize verification, and link voter records to biometric IDs/EPIC cards.
• d Armed hoodlums preventing opponents from meeting voters:
- Problem: Voter intimidation, physical violence, and breach of electoral laws.
- Correction: Deploy central paramilitary forces, install CCTV surveillance, confiscate illegal arms, and immediately arrest the culprits. -
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?":
What is wrong: Secret ballot guarantees that every individual's vote remains private. Women increasingly evaluate candidates independently, vote in large numbers, and voice their own concerns on health, education, safety, and price rise.
• b "Party politics creates tension in society. Elections should be decided by consensus not by competition?":
What is wrong: Imposing "consensus" in large, diverse societies often leads to the powerful silencing weaker voices. Electoral competition offers real choices between different policies and forces politicians to serve citizens.
• c "Only graduates should be allowed to stand as candidates for elections?":
What is wrong: Requiring educational degrees would disenfranchise the majority of Indian citizens who were denied educational opportunities. The primary qualification for an MP or MLA is understanding the people's concerns and representing their interests effectively.
Page 266
National Voters' Day (NVD) Activity
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How did your school celebrate the National Voters' Day on 25th January? Did you take the NVD Pledge? Is Electoral Literacy Club (ELC) functioning in your school?
On January 25th, our school organized a special morning assembly to celebrate National Voters' Day. All students and teachers stood together and took the official National Voters' Day Pledge to uphold the democratic traditions of our country and participate fearlessly without inducement. Our school's Electoral Literacy Club (ELC) organized mock voting demonstrations using cardboard ballot boxes to familiarize students with electoral processes, accompanied by an essay and poster-making competition on the importance of voting.
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