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NIOS Class 12 Political Science Chapter 18 Electoral System In India
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Electoral System In India
Chapter: 18
POLITICAL SCIENCE
TEXT BOOK QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS
INTEXT QUESTIONS 18.1
Q.Tick mark (✔) the appropriate alternative out of the four alternatives.
1. Responsibility for conducting free and fair elections rests on:
(a) The Chief Justice of India.
(b) The Election Commission.
(c) The President.
(d) The Comptroller and Auditor General.
Ans. The Election Commission.
2. The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by:
(a) The Chief Justice of India.
(b) The President.
(c) The Law Minister.
(d) The Prime Minister.
Ans. The President.
3. Fill in the blanks:
The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed for ………. years. (four/five / six)
Ans. Six.
4. The procedure for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner is the same as that of the ………… (Speaker of Lok Sabha / Judge of the Supreme Court / The Prime Minister of India)
Ans. Judge of the Supreme Court.
5. Match the following symbols with the respective political parties:
(a) BJP Cycle.
(b) Indian National Congress Lotus.
(c) Telugu Desam Hand.
Ans. Party – Symbol
(a) BJP – Lotus
(b) Indian National Congress – Hand
(c) Telugu Desam – Cycle.
6. Which of the following is referred to as mid-term election?
(a) the election held in middle of the year.
(b) the election held out of schedule.
(c) the election held any time during of the term when ruling party loses a vote of confidence.
Ans. The election held any time during of the term when ruling party loses a vote of confidence.
7. Which of the following is essential to be voter?
(a) the person should be 21 years of age.
(b) the person should be a citizen of India.
(c) the person should have passed secondary examination.
Ans. The person should be a citizen of India.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 18.2
1. Who issues the notification for elections?
(a) Election Commission.
(b) Returning Officer.
(c) President.
Ans. President.
2. Which day is the last date for filing nomination?
(a) 4th day.
(b) 5th day.
(c) 7th day.
Ans. 7th day.
3. Election schedule is spread over:
(a) 7 days.
(b) 20 days.
(c) 1 month.
Ans. 1 month.
4. Nomination papers should be duly proposed and seconded by:
(a) 2 voters of the concerned constituency.
(b) 3 voters of any constituency.
(c) 4 voters of the concerned constituency.
(d) 6 voters of the concerned constituency.
Ans. 2 voters of the concerned constituency.
5. Campaigning is stopped
(a) 12 hours before the polling.
(b) 24 hours before the polling.
(c) 48 hours before the polling.
Ans. 48 hours before the polling.
6. The polling booth is manned by the
(a) Polling Officers.
(b) Returning Officer.
(c) Presiding Officer.
Ans. Polling Officers.
7. The Electronic Voting Machine can accommodate a maximum of:
(a) 10 candidates.
(b) 16 candidates.
(c) 20 candidates.
Ans. 16 candidates.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 18.3
1. Some of the notable shortcomings of the Indian Election system are
(a) ………….
Ans. (a) Money Power.
(b) ………….
Ans. (b) Muscle Power.
(c) …………..
Ans. (c) Role of caste and religion.
(d) …………..
Ans. (d) Misuse of government machinery.
2. The most significant electoral reforms implemented in India are:
(i) …………..
Ans. (i) Lowering of voting age.
(ii) …………..
Ans. (ii) Increasing the amount of security deposit.
(iii) …………..
Ans. (iii) Introduction of Photo Identity Card.
(iv) …………..
Ans. (iv) Introduction of Electronic Voting Machine.
TERMINAL EXERCISES
Q.1.What are the functions of Election Commission of India?
Ans. Functions of the Election Commission:
1. To prepare the voter list for the election to the Parliament, State legislatures and to the offices of the President and the Vice President.
2. To supervise the machinery of elections throughout the country.
3. To notify the schedule of election.
4. To appoint State-electoral officers and. Returning officers.
5. To appoint officers for requiring into disputes relating to electoral arrangements.
6. To request the President or the Governor for requisitioning the staff necessary for conducting an election.
7. To cancel polls in the event of mass rigging or other irregularities.
8. To act like a court for setting matters as giving recognition to a political party or allotting a symbol for election purposes.
9. To advise the President or the Governors as the case may be, on a matter relating to the disqualification of legislatures.
Q.2. Explain briefly the electoral process followed during Lok Sabha or Assembly Elections.
Ans. Electoral Process followed during Lok Sabha or Assembly Elections: Elections in India are conducted according to the procedure laid down by law. The following process is observed:
1. Notification for Election: The process of election officially begins when on the recommendation of Election Commission, the President in case of Lok Sabha and the Governor in case of State Assembly issue a notification for the election. The election schedule from the date of issue of notification to the date of poll consists of days. Seven days are given to candidates to file nominations. The seventh day is the last /date after the issue of notification excluding Sunday. Scrutiny of nomination papers is done on the day normally after the last date of filing nominations. The candidate can withdraw his/her nomination on the second day after the scrutiny of papers. Election is held not earlier than twentieth day after the withdrawal.
2. Selection of Candidates: Then different political parties select their candidates keeping in mind their prospect of winning the elections. Sometimes, political parties also help certain independent candidates where they have not fielded their own candidates. Generally candidates fielded by political parties stand good chance of their success as compared to independent candidates.
3. Filing of Nomination: A person who intends to contest an election is required to file the nomination paper in a prescribed form indicating his name, age, postal address and serial number in the electoral rolls. The candidate is required to be duly proposed and seconded by at least two voters registered in the concerned constituency. Every candidate has to take an oath or make affirmation. These papers are then submitted to the Returning Officer, designated by the Election Commission.
4. Security Deposit: Every candidate has to make a security deposit at the time of filing nomination. For the Lok Sabha every candidate has to make a security deposit of Rs.10,000 and for State Assembly Rs.5,000. But candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are required to deposit Rs.5,000 for if contesting the Lok Sabha elections and Rs. 2,500 for contesting Vidhan Sabha elections. The security deposit is forfeited if the candidate fails to get at least 1/6 of the total valid votes polled.
5. Allotment of Symbols: National parties have their permanent symbols but other parties and independent candidates are also allotted symbols so that even the ordinary voter can recognize the different parties and candidates very easily.
6. Scrutiny and withdrawal: All nomination papers received by the Returning Officer are scrutinised on the day fixed by the Election Commission. This is done to ensure that all papers are filled according to the procedure laid down and accompanied by required security deposit. The Returning Officer is empowered to reject a nomination paper on any one of the following ground:
(i) If the candidate is less than 25 years of age.
(ii) If he/she has not made security deposit.
(iii) If he/she is holding any office of profit.
(iv) If he/she is not listed as a voter anywhere in the country.
The second day after the scrutiny of nomination papers is the last date for the withdrawal of the candidates. In case that day happens to be a holiday or Sunday, the day immediately after that is fixed as the last day for the withdrawal.
7. Issuing of Election Manifestos: Then the different parties print their election manifestos so that the voters may easily know their programmes and policies very closely.
8. Election Campaign:
(a) Campaigning is the process by which a candidate tries to persuade the voters to vote for him rather than others. During this period, the candidates try to travel through their constituency to influence as many voters as possible to vote in their favour.
(b) The total free time is fixed by the Election Commission which is allotted to all the political parties. Campaigning stops 48 hours before the day of polling. A number of campaign techniques are involved in the election process. Some of these are :
(i) Holding of public meetings.
(ii) Distribution of handbills, highlighting the main issues of their election manifesto is a document issued by political party. It is declaration of policies and programmes of the party concerned about this you will read in details in the following Lesson 19.
(iii) Door to door appeal by influential people in the party.
(iv) Broadcasting and telecasting of speeches by various political leaders.
9. Model Code of Conduct: During the campaign period the political parties and the contesting candidates are expected to abide by a model code of conduct evolved by the Election Commission of India on the basis of the consensus among political parties. It comes into force the moment schedule of election is announced by the Election Commission. The code of conduct is as follows:
(i) Political parties and contesting candidates should not use religious places for election campaign.
(ii) Such speeches should not be delivered in a way to create hatred among different communities belonging to different religions, castes and languages, etc.
(iii) Official machinery should not be used for election work.
(iv) No new grants can be sanctioned, no new schemes or projects can be started once the election dates are announced.
(v) One cannot misuse mass media for partisan coverage.
10. Voting,Counting of Votes and Declaration of Results: Then on the specific day, the voting is held on the basis of the secret ballot. After the voting is over, the ballot boxes are sealed and taken to the counting centres. There the votes are counted and soon after the result is declared.
11. Filing of Election Petition: If any candidate is not satisfied with the election results, he can go to the court of law to redress his complaint.
Q.3.Write in brief the shortcomings of electoral system in India. Suggest reforms for improving the system.
Ans. I. The Shortcomings of Electoral System in India: Some notable shortcomings of electoral system in India are discussed below:
1. Use of money power by most of the political parties and extraordinary influential independent candidates. Many corrupt practices are adopted during election such as bribing, rigging or voters intimidation, impersonation and providing transport and conveyance to voters to and from the polling stations. The reports of liquor being distributed in poor areas are frequent during election.
2. Use of muscle power by criminal elements or leaders having criminal backgrounds or history. Due to these elements political violence during elections has increased.
3. Caste and Religion play a very decisive role in elections of India. Generally on the basis of caste religion influence tickets are given to winning candidates by most of the political parties, even electorates vote on the caste and commercial lines.
4. Misuse of Government Machinery: All the political parties do not have equal opportunity in respect of access to resources. The party in power is always in advantageous position than the opposition parties. There is a widespread allegation that the party in power accomplishes misuse of government machinery.
II. Suggestions for improving the system:
(a) In order to restore the confidence of the public in the democratic electoral system, many electoral reforms have been recommended from time to time by Tarkunde Committee and Goswami Committee which were particularly appointed to study and report on the scheme for Electoral Reforms in the year 1974 and 1990 respectively. Out of these recommendations some have been implemented.
(b) In fact, it was under the chairmanship of the then Chief Election Commissioner, T.N. Seshan, that Election Commission initiated many more measures to ensure free and fair elections. Some of the reforms which have been implemented so far are as follows:
1. The voting age has been lowered from 21 years to 18 years. This has helped increase the number of voters and response confidence in the youth of the country.
2. Another landmark change has been the increase in the amount of security deposit by the candidate to prevent many non serious candidates from contesting elections with an ulterior motive.
3. The photo identity cards have been introduced to eradicate bogus voting or impersonation.
4. With the introduction of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) the voting capturing, rigging and bogus voting may not be possible. The use of
EVM will in the long-run result in reducing the cost of holding elections and also the incidence of tampering during counting of votes.
5. If a discrepancy is found between the numbers of votes polled and number of total votes counted, the Returning Officer away reports the matter forthwith to Election Commission. Election Commission on such a report may either declare the poll at the particular polling station as void and give a date for fresh poll or countermand election in that constituency.
OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS
Choose the correct answer:
Q.1. In India responsibility to hold free and fair elections rests on the shoulders of:
(a) The Comptroller and Auditor General.
(b) The President of India.
(c) The Election Commission.
(d) The Chief Justice of India.
Ans. (c) The Election Commission.
Q.2. Which of the following is essential to be voter?
(a) the person should be 25 years of age.
(b) the person should be a citizen of India.
(c) the person should be graduate.
(d) the person should be alien.
Ans. (b) The person should be a citizen of India.
Q.3. The Chief Election Commissioner
(a) The President of India.
(b) The Prime Minister.
(c) The Law Minister at the centre level.
(d) The Chief Justice of India.
Ans. (a) The President of India.
Q.4. Which of the following is referred to a Mid-term election?
(a) the election held in middle of the year.
(b) the election held out of schedule.
(c) the election held any time during the term when ruling party loses a vote of confidence.
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) the election held any time during the term when ruling party loses a vote of confidence.
