NCERT Exercise
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.
(b) People select the representative of their choice in an election.
(c) Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.
(d) People can indicate which policies they prefer.
Answer:
(c) Elections enable people to evaluate the
performance of the judiciary.
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.
3. Match the following:
|
(a) It is necessary to keep the voters’ list up to date
because |
(i) there is a fair representation of all sections of our
society |
|
(b) Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that |
(ii) everyone has equal opportunity to elect their representatives |
|
(c) Everyone has one and only one vote so that |
(iii) all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in
elections |
|
(d) Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles
because |
(iv) some people may have moved away from the area where they
voted last |
Answer:
|
(a) It is necessary to keep the voters’ list up to date
because |
(iv) some people may have moved away from the area where they
voted last |
|
(b) Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that |
(i) there is a fair representation of all sections of our
society |
|
(c) Everyone has one and only one vote so that |
(ii) everyone has equal opportunity to elect their
representatives |
|
(d) Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles
because |
(iii) all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in
elections |
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 manifesto → Election campaign
→ Filing nomination → Casting of votes → Ordering of re-poll → Counting of
votes → 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
(b) Polling day
(c) Counting day
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 voters in the name of religion or caste,
they not use worship place for a campaign or use any government resources.
(b) She will
have to crosscheck the voters’ list and check the ID proof of the voters, booth
capturing not take place. Ensure that Free and fair elections should be
conducted.
(c) She has
to look on counting is carried out, representatives of all parties present at
the counting area in order to avoid malpractices,
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.
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.
(b) There is a high level of popular participation in the elections in our
country.
(c) It is very easy for the party in power to win an election.
(d) Many reforms are needed to make our elections completely free and fair.
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:
·
Voter turnout has increased over the past years.
·
Election-related activities in the last few years have seen
larger participation by the people.
(c) It is not
very easy for the party in power to win an election:
·
The ruling parties routinely lose elections.
·
Candidates who are known to spend a lot of money often lose
elections.
(d) Certain
Reforms are necessary to make our elections completely free and fair:
·
To ensure that independents and small parties not suffer
in elections.
·
To ensure candidates with criminal records not participate.
8. Chinappa was convicted
of 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.
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 exercises votes cast for one
candidate were counted in favour of another.
(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.
(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:
(a) In this case, representatives of each candidate should be present to make
sure that the votes are counted in a fairway.
(b) The election commission should set up an inquiry into the case and debar
the candidate or party involved in distributing such pamphlets.
(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.
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.
(b) Opposition parties alleged that their statements and campaign were not
given due attention in Doordarshan and All India Radio.
(c) An inquiry by the Election Commission showed that electoral rolls of a
state contain the name of 20 lakh fake voters.
(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:
(a) After the announcement of the election, it is not legal to announce policy
decisions according to the Code of Conduct. The minister should be immediately
taken to task by the Election Commission.
(b) The
election commission must ensure that all political parties are given equal
opportunity to appear on Doordarshan and All India Radio. EC takes action
against the misuse of this media.
(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 the preparation of fresh electoral rolls.
(d) By using
hoodlums, the political party is terrorizing its rivals. The election
commission should order the arrest of the hoodlums and bar the party from the
elections.
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?
(b) Party politics creates tension in society. Elections should be decided by
consensus, not by competition.
(c) Only graduates should be allowed to stand as candidates for elections.
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)
Competition works as both deterrent and motivator for the political candidates.
Fear of losing the election and motivation for winning the elections works in
favour of people.
(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.