Chapter 3: Electoral Politics

Intext Questions:

Question 1: Do most leaders fulfil their election promises?

Answer:
During elections most of the leaders make many big promises to the people (voters) to win their support and vote. However, after the elections, the political leaders forget their promises and most of them do not fulfil their election promises.

Question 2: 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):

• Elections can lead to changes in the policy of the government
• The Governor invited Devi Lal to become the Chief Minister because he was impressed with his speeches.
• People are unhappy with every ruling party and vote against it in the next election.
• The party that wins the election forms the government.
• This election led to a lot of economic development in Haryana.
• The Congress Chief Minister need not have resigned after his party lost elections.

Answer:
(i) Right
(ii) Wrong - It is because the newly elected Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of Lok Dal chose Devi Lal as their leader.
(iii) WrongWrong - People vote against a ruling party only when they are unhappy with it.
(iv) Right
(v) Inadequate information
(vi) Wrong - The Chief Minister has to resign if his party looses the election.

Question 3: 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.

Answer:
My state is Andhra Pradesh. Recent assembly elections were held in April 2019, where the YSR Congress Party chief Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the incumbent Telugu Desam Party's Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan with his alliance between Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Bahujan Samaj Party were the main contenders. Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party won the polls by winning 151 seats out of 175 seats, securing almost 86% of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
General Elections were held in Andhra Pradesh on 11 April 2019 to elect representatives for 17th Lok Sabha. Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha constituencies all of which voted in the first phase on the General election 2019 on April 11. The state witnessed an intense battle between the N Chandrababu Naidu led-Telugu Desam Party (TDP), YSR Congress Party of YS Jaganmohan Reddy, actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party, Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). YSRCP had won 22 seats, and TDP 3.
Elections to local bodies in Andhra Pradesh took place in four phases in rural areas (panchayats) in February 2021 viz. 9 February 2021, 13 February 2021, 17 February 2021 and 21 February 2021 covering 13 districts. In the first phase, 29,732 polling stations were set up.
Urban local body elections to 12 municipal corporations and 75 municipal and town councils held in April.
Persons elected from my area.
M.P. - Pocha Brahmananda Reddy from Nandyal Constituency.
M.L.A.- Gangula Brijendra Reddy from Allagadda.
Mayor- B.Y. Ramaiah.
Z.P.T.C. Chairman - Rajasekhar
M.P.T.C. Chairman - Y. Raju
Sarpanch - M. Gopala Krishna.

Question 4: We have seen why democracies need to have elections. But why do rulers in non-democratic countries need to hold elections?

Answer:
Rulers in non-democratic countries need to hold elections because they want to show the world that they are not unpopular and they have the support of the people of the country, and so that their image improves in the eyes of the world. Secondly, they want to show that their government and position has been achieved legally and according to the constitutional provisions.

Question 5: Ah! So, elections are like exams where politicians and parties know if they have passed or failed. But who are the examiners?

Answer:
The examiners in this case are the voters, who give them marks in the form of votes.

Question 6: 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?

Answer:
1.The cartoon shown on the left gives the message that the knowledge, ideas, planning and promises of a candidate are useless if he/she does not have enough votes to win. Voting power is only with the common man, who is the decisive factor for an election.
2. The cartoon shown on the right gives the message that during an election campaign a candidate makes plenty of promises but he is unable to fulfil all of them. As a result electorates chase him to fulfil his promises.
Second one is closer to the scenario in our locality.

Question 7: Why is the boundary of the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency not the same as the district boundary of Gulbarga (Kalaburagi)? Draw a similar map for your own Lok Sabha constituency?

Answer:
The boundary of the Gulbarga Lok Sabha Constituency is not the same as the district boundary of Gulbarga because:
a)The entire state of Karnataka is divided into equal Lok Sabha constituencies on the basis of population.
b)The total area of Gulbarga district is 16,224 sq km and it is the largest district in Karnataka. The population of Gulbarga district is 25,64,892 (census 2011). The whole Gulbarga district's population is more than that allotted for each Lok Sabha constituency in the state. That is why both the boundaries are not the same.
I am from Gulbarga lok sabha constituency so the above shown map is illustrates the question.

Question 8: How many Assembly constituencies are there in the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency? Is it the same in your own Lok Sabha constituency?

Answer:
There are 8 Assembly constituencies in the Gulbarga Lok Sabha Constituency.

Question 9: Like in Panchayats, should we not have at least one-third seats in the parliament and assemblies reserved for women?

Answer:
One-third of the seats are reserved for women in the Panchayats, but unfortunately even today representation of women in the State Assemblies and Parliament is very low. The women constitute 50 per cent of our society, so, we need to reserve at least one-third seats in the Assemblies and the Parliament for women. This helps them to uplift their status in society.

Question 10: See the map below and answer the following questions.

• 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?

Answer:
(i) My state is Andhra Pradesh. Number of lok sabha constituencies are 25 my neighbouring states are Tamilnadu: 39 and Telangana: 17
(ii) The states which have more than 30 Lok Sabha constituencies are Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.
(iii) Some states have large number of constituencies because of their population. Here, voters are in large numbers.
(iv) The coverage of each constituency is fixed of the basis of number of the voters. The area does not matter. If a smaller area has equal number of voters as a big area, both will be treated as constituencies.
(v)The constituencies are reserved for the SCs and STs on the basis of the distribution of their population. So, the constituencies reserved, for the SCs and STs are not evenly spread all over the entire country, but are more in some areas.

Question 11: Why are the candidates required to give a detailed statement of their property?

Answer:
Candidates are required to give a detailed statement of their property at the time of election because the Election Commission is trying to control the misuse of money power in elections. The candidate has to give information about his assets movable and immovable, debts to financial institutions, tax status, income and wealth. Secondly with this information the voters will be able to know more about the candidates and make their own choices.

Question 12: Match the following features of our electoral system with the principles they reflect.

Answer:

Question 13: 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.

Answer:
Just like any other election that is conducted over the years, contestants compete for political positions.
They have to put their ideals on the table, they have to tell people what they will do once they are elected into the positions they want to.
Most politicians promise the public that they will provide the social amenities without any biasness. They claim that they will provide clean water to the people, clean environment, increase in worker wages etc.
In my constituency, 4 major political parties campaigned for winning elections. They formed huge rallies and gathered many people and promised many things to do. Let's see what have promised.

1. Y.S.R.C.P.
Jagan Mohan Reddy lead the party and he visited many times to my place and spoke very closely to all people.
Promises:
Giving cheap loans to farmers Encouragement to women Self Help Groups
Educational encouragement to all poor people
New jobs for the unemployed people
Pension hike to elders
Liquor ban
2. T.D.P.
Shri Nara Chandra Babu Naidu lead this party and he's very experienced person and he was our C.M. for twice earlier.
Promises: Giving free power to farmers in cultivation
Ending water disputes with neighbouring states Improving I.T. sector in our state
New Roads in remote areas
Repairing the old bridges in our locality
3. Jana Sena Party
It was lead by cinema actor Pawan Kalyan and He recently formed the party and campaigned a lot to win the elections
Promises: Youth should be focused
Old people should be healthy
Fight the corruption
Children are given the value education
4. B.J.P.
Hari Narayan lead this party in our constituency and he was very old man. He roamed to all places and spoke with many people.
Promises: Rejuvenation of old public buildings in our locality
Free Education to all eligible people
Rented farmers are given importance too
Ending the corruption in public domain
Finally Y.S.R.C.P. won the election with clear cut majority and it is fulfilling all its promises very enthusiastically.

Question 14: Draw a cartoon here about the Model Code of Conduct for the guidance of political parties and candidates during elections.

Answer:

Question 15:

Answer:
Yes, Elections have become very expensive and year by year their cost has been increasing. For a developing country like India it's huge burden. With so much poverty and many dying out of hunger it's really a problem-some. But elections are very important for democracy to check on the corruptive leaders and for all good. So we must go with a reasonable cost of elections and its responsibility lies not only on Election Commission but also on all people of India.

Question 16:

Answer:

A) What is the percentage of voters who had actually cast their votes?

Answer:
50.82 per cent of total voters cast their own votes.

B) To win an election is it necessary for a person to secure more than half the votes polled?

Answer:
To win an election, it is not necessary for a person to secure more than half the votes polled, because the candidate who secures the highest number of votes from a constituency is declared elected.

Question 17: Why are party agents present in the polling booth and the counting centre?

Answer:
Party agents are present in the polling booth to ensure that the voting takes place in a fair way and the rival candidates are not able to adopt any unfair practices. They are also present in the counting centres to ensure that the counting is done properly without any unfair means.

Question 18:

Answer:
(i) Unfair electoral practice
(ii) Fair electoral practice
(iii) Unfair electoral practice
(iv)Unfair electoral practice.

Question 19: Why does the Election Commission have so much power? Is this good for democracy?

Answer:
The Election Commission in India is very powerful so that it is able to perform its functions in a proper manner and efficiently. Yes, this is good for democracy. Because only a powerful and independent Election Commission can ensure free and fair elections by preventing malpractices and unfair means in the elections.

Question 20: Read these headlines carefully and identify which powers are used by the Election Commission in each instance to ensure free and fair elections.

Answer:
(i) Election Commission takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections, from the announcement of elections to the declaration of results.
(ii) Election Commission regulates campaigns to ensure that every political party or candidate gets a fair and equal chance to complete. It also ensures that no party or candidate can spend more than Rs. 77 lakhs for election in a Lok Sabha constituency and Rs 30.6 lakhs for election in an Assembly constituency as per a gazette notification released by Election Commission of India on October 20, 2020.
(iii) During the election period, the Election Commission can order the government to follow some guide lines, to prevent use and misuse of governmental power to enhance its chances to win elections, or to transfer some government officials.
(iv) Election Commission takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections.
(v) Election Commission enjoys the same kind of independence that the judiciary enjoys. It is not supposed to work on the advice of the Home Minister. During the election period, the Election commission can order the government to follow some guidelines, to prevent use and misuse of the governmental power to enhance its chances to win elections, or to transfer some government officials.
(vi) Election Commission takes decisions on every aspect of elections and control of elections from the announcement of elections to the declaration of results. It also includes the powers relating to the identification of the voters.
(vii) During the election period, the Election Commission can order the government to follow some guidelines, to prevent use and misuse of governmental power to enhance its chances to win elections, or to transfer some government officials.
(viii) Election Commission implements the code of conduct and punishes any candidate or party that violates it.
(ix) Election Commission takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections from the announcement of elections to the declaration of results. It also includes power regarding the control of the Exit Polls.
(x) Election Commission takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections from the announcement of elections and order to repoll to the declaration of results.
(xi) It implements election laws and the code of conduct and punishes any candidate or party that violates it. Thus, every party or candidate can get a fair and equal chance to compete.

Question 21: 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, ask them why did they not vote. If they did, ask them which party and candidate they voted for and why. Also ask them whether they had participated in any other election-related activity like attending an election meeting or rally etc.

Answer:
Elders in our family voted for Y.S.R.C.P. in both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The reason they said is it's a party of farmers and it has promised many things related to farming like cheap loans for next crops, pension hike, Encouragement to women S.H.G'S . And it has also promised for construction of the bridge to our village.
My Uncle participated in election campaigning of the parties. He said that Leaders speak voraciously and attract with their Charismatic ability and spend money like water during Elections. They made many promises to lure the voters. They abused the other parties.

Question 22: The leader is coming out of a press conference: “What was the need to say that we have distributed tickets only amongst suitable and winnable family relations?” Do you think that family politics is confined to only a few states or parties?

Answer:
Family politics on Dynastic politics is not a new phenomenon in Indian politics, but it has become an increasingly wide reaching one in recent times. It is more or less found in each and every state and party in India. Almost every political party in India has leaders whose sons and daughters have entered politics, most of them without much political experience.

Question 23: Titled ‘Electoral Campaigns’, this cartoon was drawn in the Latin American context. Does this apply to India and to other democracies in the world?

Answer:
Yes, this cartoon can be applicable to India and other democracies of the world. Now-a-days, candidates who spend a lot of money on 'buying votes' often win the election. Although the Election Commission has specified the amount of money to be spent for both Parliamentary and Assembly elections, but there is always excessive use of money by the rich candidates and big parties. This cartoon suggests the misuse of money power in Parliamentary democracy.

Question 24: 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?

Answer:
(i) Yes, this is an accurate picture of what happens to the voter before and after election.
(ii) No, not always, but most of the time it happens in a democracy. Before election, the candidate tries to appease the voters by false promises. After the election, the elected leader forgets the demands of the common man.
(iii) No, I cannot think of examples when this did not happen.

Question 25: 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”.

Answer:
(i) It is the weakness of our electoral system which sends only 12 per cent women members to the Lok Sabha while the population of women is nearly 50 per cent of the total population.
(ii) It is the strength of our electoral system which has given the power to the Election Commission to refuse or to accept the advice of the ruling party about the election dates.
(iii) This is the weakness of our electoral system which does not give equal chance to both poor and rich. Those candidates, who are rich, have a better chance of winning than the poor in our country.
(iv) This is the strength of our electoral system which enjoys the faith of both the defeated and winning candidates. Barring very few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are usually accepted as 'people's verdict' by the defeated party.