NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Political Science Chapter 3 Electoral Politics

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Political Science Chapter 3 Electoral Politics can help you improve your studying habits by providing you with step-by-step explanations of concepts. These NCERT Solutions will help students prepare for exams better as they will be able to identify areas where they need more revision. By using the NCERT Solutions, students will be able to get an accurate gauge of their understanding of the concepts taught in class.

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Chapter 3 Electoral Politics Class 9 Political Science NCERT Solutions

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.

Solution

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.

Solution

a. India has the largest number of voters in the world.

3. Match the following:

It is necessary to keep the voters list up to date because	There is a fair representation of all sections of our society
Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that	Everyone has an equal opportunity to elect their representative
Everyone has one and only one vote so that	All candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections
Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because	Some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last

Solution

It is necessary to keep the voters list up to date because	Some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last
Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that	There is a fair representation of all sections of our society
Everyone has one and only one vote so that	Everyone has an equal opportunity to elect their representative
Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because	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

Solution

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 she should focus on for each of the following stages of election:
Election campaign
Polling day
Counting day

Solution

(a) Surekha should see that all political parties and candidates are following the code of conduct during election campaign. She should focus that no candidate should bribe or threaten voters and do not make use of government machinery for election campaign.

(b) Surekha should ensure that polling takes place peacefully on the polling day. No bogus votes or rigging of the election should take place. There should be no booth capturing. Each candidate should have an agent present at the polling booth. After the polling is over, she should ensure that the EVMs are properly sealed and stored in a safe place.

(c) On the counting day, seal of the EVMs should be checked and EVMs should be opened. Each party should have an agent present at the location. Surekha should supervise the counting of votes and the candidate getting the highest votes is declared elected.

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?

Solution

American Congress does not make reservations for any community. Reservations are contrary to democratic principles, which are based on the principle of equality. Every citizen has one vote and every vote has equal weight. Also, reservations create a sense of disunity and factionalism between communities. Using proportional representation is more appropriate if representation is to be given in accordance with the percentage of the 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.

Solution

(a) This statement is not true. Election Commission of India is very powerful. Election Commission supervises, directs and controls the elections. It is an independent and constitutional body. The Election Commission is responsible to conduct free and fair elections. It has the power to reprimand the government and administration for their lapses.

(b) This statement is also not correct. Popular participation in the election in India is not very high. In India, popular participation is generally about 59 percent.

(c) The statement is not true. The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state levels. For example, in 2004, the ruling party (National Democratic Alliance) lost the Lok Sabha Elections. In 2005, the ruling party in Haryana, National Lok Dal lost the Assembly elections to Congress.

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?

Solution

This decision is not against the principles of democratic elections. Criminals should not be allowed to contest elections. The court has taken the right decision. The court order is in accordance with the provision of law.

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 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.

Solution

a. To check malpractices at the time of counting of votes, it is better to use EVMs. At the time of counting of votes, each party or candidate should have one agent present at the
location.

b. To conduct free and fair election, a code of conduct should be framed. All political parties and candidates should follow the code of conduct strictly.

c. In USA, there is a great need of uniformity in the procedure of election for all states. For this purpose, an independent Election Commission should be established. Election should be conducted by the Election Commission.

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?

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 was 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 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.

Solution

a. The minister has violated the code of conduct. Hence, legal action should be taken against him.
b. There is misuse of government instruments such as Doordarshan and All India Radio. This malpractice can be checked by making Doordarshan and All India Radio autonomous bodies.
c. All fake voters’ name should be removed from the electoral roll. Electoral roll should be thoroughly checked and revised and action should be taken against the officials concerned.
d. Election Commission should check the hoodlums of the political party. Law and order should be maintained. Moreover, all political parties should have election meetings peacefully.

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.

Solution

a. It is incorrect because the secret ballot policy ensures an individual’s right to vote for whomever he or she wishes. Women are fully capable of making their own decisions.
b. Yes, party politics can create tension in society but consensus should not be the basis for elections. Since politicians compete with each other to fulfill their promises, competition in politics works for the people’s good. Despite the fact that they might not be honest, they know that in order to be elected, they have to work hard. Their selfish actions benefit the population as a result.
c. Educational qualification is not required to understand the people’s needs, and to represent their interests. Thus, it is not necessary for politicians to be graduates.