RBSE Class 9 Social Science Important Questions Civics Chapter 3 Electoral Politics

Rajasthan Board RBSE Class 9 Social Science Important Questions  Civics Chapter 3 Electoral Politics  Important Questions and Answers. 

RBSE Class 9 Social Science Important Questions  Civics Chapter 3 Electoral Politics

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1. 
The percentage of eligible voters who cast their votes in an election
(a) adults 
(b) Turn out
(c) Rigging 
(d) Incumbent
Answer:
(b) Turn out

Question 2. 
During the 2004 elections how many voters took part in campaign related activities?
(a) Less than one-third voters 
(b) More than one-third voters
(c) More than two-third voters 
(d) Less than one-third voters
Answer:
(b) More than one-third voters

Question 3. 
Now a days which electronic device is used to record votes?
(a) Electronic Voting Machine 
(b) Electronic Visual Machine
(c) Electronic Video Machine 
(d) Electric Voting Machine
Answer:
(a) Electronic Voting Machine 

 

Question 4. 
Which party used the Slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’ in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971?
(a) The left Front 
(b) The Telugu Desam Party
(c) Janata Party 
(d) The Congress Party
Answer:
(d) The Congress Party

Question 5. 
Voters list is also known as
(a) Ticket 
(b) Nomination form
(c) Electoral Roll 
(d) Constituency
Answer:
(c) Electoral Roll 

Question 6. 
How many seats are reserved for the scheduled castes in the Lok Sabha?
(a) 79 seats
(b) 41 seats 
(c) 78 seats 
(d) 100 seats 
Answer:
(a) 79 seats

Question 7. 
What makes elections democratic?
(a) Right to choose 
(b) Freedom of Choice
(c) Free and Fair elections 
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Question 8. 
What amount a candidate can spend during an Assembly elections?
(a) ₹ 10 lakh 
(b) ₹ 150 lakh 
(c) ₹ 25 lakh 
(d) ₹ 5 lakh
Answer:
(a) ₹ 10 lakh 

Question 9. 
Number of members in an Election Commission is
(a) 3 
(b) 4 
(c) 5 
(d) 8
Answer:
(a) 3 

Question 10. 
What was the percentage of women members in Lok Sabha till 2000?
(a) 20% 
(b) 30% 
(c) 10% 
(d) 15%
Answer:
(c) 10% 

Question 11. 
A set of norms and guidelines to be followed by political parties during elections is
(a) Turnout 
(b) Rigging
(c) Incumbent 
(d) Code of conduct
Answer:
(d) Code of conduct

Question 12. 
The country is divided into different areas for the purpose of elections is
(a) Village 
(b) Constituency 
(c) District 
(d) None Of these
Answer:
(b) Constituency 

Question 13. 
When does the term of all the elected representatives come to an end? 
(a) 6 years 
(b) 10 years 
(c) 5 years 
(d) 2 years
Answer:
(c) 5 years 

Question 14. 
Into hpw many constituencies is the country divided for Lok Sabha elections?
(a) 543 
(b) 536. 
(c) 259 
(d) 380 
Answer:
(a) 543 

Question 15.
Political parties nominate their candidates who get the party symbol and support called
(a) Nomination 
(b) Voters list 
(c) Electoral roll 
(d) Party ticket
Answer:
(d) Party ticket

Question 16. 
Who used the slogan ‘Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus’ in Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections in 1983?
(a) Chintamani 
(b) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(c) P.Chidambaram 
(d) N.T. Rama Rao
Answer:
(d) N.T. Rama Rao

Fill in the blanks:

Question 1. 
Fraud and Malpractices indulged by a party or candidate to increase its votes are
known as ..............
Answer:
rigging

Question 2. 
The current holder of a political office is called ..............
Answer:
 incumbent 

Question 3. 
The representative elected from each parliamentary constituency is called ............. 
Answer:
 member of parliament

Question 4. 
EPIC stands for .............
Answer:
Election Photo Identity Card

Question 5. 
The Chief Election Commissioner of India is appointed by ............. 
Answer:
 the President

True or False:

Question 1. 
In our country, all citizens of the age of 18 and above can vote in elections.
Answer:
 True

Question 2. 
Sikkim has only one loksabha constituency.
Answer:
 True

Question 3. 
Presidents of all the parties are present at the time of vote counting so that it can be done in impartial manner.
Answer:
False

Question 4. 
Elections in our country are conducted by the Public Service Commission.
Answer:
False

Question 5. 
Election officers on election duty work under the Election Commission.
Answer:
True

Match the Column: 

Column A	Column B
(1) Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment.	(a) 1994
(2) The blacks, coloured and Indians had fought against the apartheid system since this year.	(b) 1992
(3) New republic of South Africa established.	(c) 1950
(4) Nelson Mandela walked out of the jail as a free man.	(d) 1964

Answer:

Column A	Column B
(1) Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment.	(d) 1964
(2) The blacks, coloured and Indians had fought against the apartheid system since this year.	(c) 1950
(3) New republic of South Africa established.	(a) 1994
(4) Nelson Mandela walked out of the jail as a free man.	(b) 1992

Very Short Answer Type Questions:

Question 1. 
Why do we have representative government in most democracies?
Answer: 
In most democracies people rule through their representatives. Since it is not possible for everyone to have time and knowledge to take decisions on all matters, hence representative is needed.

Question 2. 
Elections are considered essential for any representative democracy”. Why?
Answer: 

1. In a representative democracy people rule through their representative.
2. It provides people an opportunity to decide who will make laws for them.

Question 3. 
How can political leaders be made accountable to the people?
Answer:
It can be done by setting up a system where political leaders are rewarded for serving the people and punished for not doing good for the sake of people.

Question 4. 
How do political leaders try to win the hearts of the voters?
Answer: 
Political leaders know that if they raise issues that people want to be raised, their popularity and chances of victory will increase in the next elections. But if they fail to satisfy the voters with their work they will not be able to win again.

Question 5.
Differentiate between a voter and a candidate? .
Answer:

1. A person who elects the candidate is a voter. All the citizens who attain the age . of 18 years become voters.
2. A person who contests the election is called candidate. In order to be a candidate the minimum age is 25 years.

Question 6. 
Define by election?
Answer: 
The election which is held for only one constituency to fill the vacancy caused by death or resignation of members is called by election.

Question 7. 
Why do people in India provide a lot of importance to elections?
Answer: 
They feel that through elections they can create pressure on political parties to adopt policies and programmes favourable to them.

Question 8. 
Give one challange of Indian elections?
Answer: 
Some families try to dominate political parties, tickets to be distributed to family members.

Question 9. 
Mention any two functions of the election commission?
Answer: 
It grants recognition to political parties. It allots symbols to candidates and political parties.

Question 10.
What is an elected representative at the state level called as?
Answer: 
Each state is also divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies. Here the elected representative is called the Member of Legislative Assembly or an MLA.

Question 11.
How are constituencies divided at the local level?
Answer: 
At Panchayati and Municipal elections, each village or town is divided into several ‘wards’ that are like constituencies. Each ward elects one member of the village or the urban local body.

Question 12. 
What is a reserved constituency?
Answer: 
Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). In a SC reserved constituency only someone who belongs to the Scheduled Castes can contest for election. 

Question 13. 
How many seats are reserved for SC and ST candidates in the Lok Sabha?
Answer:
Currently, in the Lok Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the Scheduled Tribes (as on 1st Sept. 2012).

Question 14. 
How many seats are reserved for women at local bodies?
Answer: 
One third of the total seats are reserved in rural and urban local bodies for women candidates.

Question 15. 
What is an Electoral Roll or Voters’ List? What is its importance?
Answer: 
It is a list which carries the names of the persons who are eligible to vote. It is important because everyone should get an equal opportunity to choose representatives.

Question 16. 
What is the Election Photo Identity Card System?
Answer: 
Every voter is issued his photo identity card by the Election Commission. The voters are required to cany this card when they go out to vote, so that no one ran vote for someone else.

Question 17. 
How does a person file nomination papers?
Answer:
Every person who wishes to contest election has to fill a nomination form and gives money as a security deposit.

Question 18. 
Why has personal information of the candidate to be made public?
Answer: 
This information needs to make public as it provides opportunity to the voters to make their decisions on the basis of information provided by the candidates.

Question 19. 
What is election code of conduct?
Answer: 
A set of norms and guidelines to be followed by political parties and contesting candidates during election time. 

Question 20. 
How are voters contacted during campaigning?
Answer: 
During campaigning political leaders address election meetings and political parties mobilize their supporters.

Question 21. 
What is representative democracy?
Answer: 
It is a type of government under which people elect their leader who take decisions on their behalf.

Short Answer Type Questions:

Question 1. 
Enlist the choices made by a voter in election.
Answer: 

1. They choose who will make laws for them.
2. They choose who will form the government and take major decisions.
3. They choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law making.

Question 2. 
How are constituencies for Lok Sabha decided by the Election Commission?
Answer: 

1. For Lok Sabha elections, the country is divided into 543 constituencies.
2. The representative elected from each constituency is called a ‘Member of Parliament’ or an MP.
3. One of the features of a democratic election is that every vote should have equal value. That is why, our constitution requires that each constituency should have roughly equal population living within it.

Question 3. 
How is division of constituencies done at the State level?
Answer: 

1. Each State is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies on the basis of their population size.
2. In this case, the elected representative is called Member of Legislative Assembly or an MLA.
3. Each parliamentary constituency has several Assemblies’ constituencies within it.

Question 4. 
Distinguish between General elections and By-elections.
Answer:
General Elections:

1. The election conducted in all the constituencies at the same time, either on the same day or within a few days to elect representatives is known as the general election.
2. Such elections are held after every five years.
3. These elections are held to form the new government.

By Elections:

1. If an elected candidate dies while in office or seat falls vacant due to . . other reasons such as resignation, etc., fresh elections are held in that particular constituency alone. Such an election is called by-election.
2. These elections can be held any time.
3. These are held to fill vacant seats.

Question 5. 
What is the ‘Voters’ List*?
Answer: 

1. In a democratic election, the list of those who are eligible to vote is ' prepared much before the election and is available to everyone.
2. This list is officially called the Electoral Roll and is commonly known as the Voters’List. 
3. This is an important step as it is linked to the first condition of a democratic election: everyone should get an equal opportunity to choose representatives.

Question 6. 
How does the principle of ‘Universal Adult Franchise’ work in the Indian democracy?
Answer: 

1. In practice, universal adult franchise means that everyone should have one vote and each vote should have equal value.
2. No one should be denied the right to vote without good reason.
3. Citizens differ from one another in many ways; some are rich, some are poor; some are highly educated, some are not; some are kind, others are not so kind. But all of them are human beings with their own needs and views. That is why, all of them deserve to have an equal say in decisions that affect them.

Question 7. 
What do you know about voter’s ID card?
Answer: 

1. In the last few years, a new system of Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) has been introduced.
2. The government has made efforts to give this card to every person on the voters’ list.
3. 1 The voters are required to carry this card when they go out to cast their vote, so that no one can vote for someone else.
4. But the card is not yet compulsory for voting. The voters can show many other proofs of identity like the ration card, driving license or the passport, etc.

Question 8. 
How is the voter’s list prepared?
Answer: 

1. It is prepared by the election commission of India.
2. In India all the citizens aged 18 years and above can vote in election.
3. As new persons attain voting age names are added to the voter’s list.
4. N ames of those who move out of a place or those who are dead are deleted. A complete revision of this list takes place every five year.

Question 9. 
Highlight the significance of election campaign.
Answer: 

1. Election campaign is run by candidates and political parties to get the support of electors to win the political office.
2. During election campaign the candidates contact their voters. Free and open disussions are held.
3. It is the time period when people come to know about policies and programmes of particular parties.

Question 10.
What is a ‘Model Code of Conduct’ for election campaigns?
Answer: 

1. No party or candidate can use any place of worship for elections propaganda.
2. No party or candidate can use government vehicles, aircraft and officials for elections.
3. Once elections are announced, ministers shall not lay foundation stones of any projects, take any big policy decision or make any promises of providing public facilities.

Question 11. 
How are results declared after an election in our country?
Answer:

1. A few days later, on a fixed date, all the EVMs from a constituency are opened and the votes secured by each candidate are counted.
2. In general elections, usually the counting of votes in all the constituencies takes place at the same time, on the same day.
3. Television channels, radio and newspapers report this event. Within a short duration of time results are declared.

Question 12. 
Which type of reports are shown hy media about ‘unfair practices in elections’?
Answer:
Most of these reports are about the following

1. Inclusion of false names and exclusion of genuine names in the voter’s list.
2. Misuse of government facilities and officials by the ruling party.
3. Excessive use of money hy rich candidates and big parties.
4. Intimidation of voters and rigging on the polling day.

Question 13. 
Mention any two provisions which ensure the independence of the election commission.
Answer:

1. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India. But once appointed, he/she is not answerable to the President dr the government.
2. It implements the code of conduct and punishes any candidate or party that violates it.

Question 14. 
What does turnout figure indicate?
Answer: 

1. People’s participation in election is usually measured by voters’ ‘turnout figure’.
2. Turnout indicates the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast their vote.
3. Over the last fifty years, the turnout in Europe and North America has declined. In India, the turnout has either remained stable or actually gone up.

Question 15. 
Do you think educational qualification should be mandatory for the candidate tend to fight election.
Answer: 
No, educational qualification should not be mandatory as educational qualification is not relevant to all kinds of job. Putting an educational qualification would go against the spirit of democracy of educational qualification was made compulsory it would deprive a majority of countries citizen to contest election.

Long Answer Type Questions:

Question 1. 
Is the Election Commission of India independent? Describe its powers and rights.
Answer: 
Freedom of Election Commission :
In India elections are conducted by an independent and very powerful Election Commission. It enjoys the same kind of freedom that the judiciary enjoys. The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President of India. But once appointed, the Chief Election Commissioner is not answerable to the President or the government. It is also veiy difficult for the government to remove it.

Powers and rights of Election Commission :
Following are the powers and rights of election commission :
(i) To conduct and supervise election process : EC takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections from the announcement of elections to the declaration of results.

(ii) Implementation of Code of conduct: Election Commission implements the Code of Conduct and punishes if any candidate or party that violates it.

(iii) Providing guidelines to government: During the election period, the EC 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.

(iv) Control over officers posted in election duty : When on election duty, government officers work under the control of the EC and not the government.

(v) Other powers: The Election Commission has expanded its powers, reprimanding the government and administration for their mistakes. On the basis of reports of fake voting in some polling centers or in the entire constituency, it can order a re-election there.

Question 2. 
Briefly describe the election process in India.
Or
State the characteristic of India’s election system.
Answer: 
Election process
(i) Determining of constituency:
In India Elections to the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies take place every five years. Area based system of representation has been adopted here. The country has been divided into several constituencies for the purpose of election. The voters residing in each region elect one of their representatives. In constitution there is provision of reserved constituencies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

(ii) Making of Voter’s list:
The election process starts with the announcement of election dates. Once the constituency is decided then the latest list of eligible voters of that region is prepared. In our country, every citizens agedl8 years and above have the right to vote. The Election Commission has issued photo identity cards and use of electronic voting machines for voters with a view  to preventing fake voting and conducting free and fair elections. For voting, the voters can show many other, proofs of identity like the ration card or the driving license.

(iii) Nomination of candidates:
A3iy citizen of the age' of 25 years or above in India can become a candidate. Every person who wishes to contest an election has to fill a nomination form’ and give softie money as security deposit. Every candidate has to make a legal declaration, giving full details of serious criminal cases pending against the candidate, assets and liabilities of the candidate and his or her family and educational qualifications of the candidate. The Election Commission examines those nomination papers and accepts or cancels them on this basis of their declaration.

(iv) Election campaign:
In our country two weeks of time is given for campaign between the announcement of the final list of candidates and the date of polling.

(v) Polling and counting of votes:
In the final stage of voting every person whose name is on the voters’ list can go to a nearby ‘polling booth’, situated 
Electoral Politics usually in a local school or a government office. Once the polling is over, all the EVMs are sealed and taken to a secure place. A few days later, on a fixed date, all the EVMs from a constituency are opened and the votes secured by each candidate are counted. The candidate who secures the highest number of votes from a constituency is declared elected.

Question 3. 
What does election mean? What are the minimum conditions for a democratic election?
Answer: 
Meaning of election: 
Election is a system by which people elect their representatives after a regular interval and change them if they want. Minimum condition for a 

democratic election:
Following conditions are required for a democratic election:

(i) Universal adult franchise: 
For a democratic election, it is necessary that every adult citizen should have one vote and every vote should have equal value.

(ii) Availability of choices: 
The second condition for democratic elections is that there should be something to choose from. Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters.

(iii) Election at regular intervals: 
The second condition for democratic flections is that the choice should be offered at regular intervals. Elections must be held regularly after every few years.

(iv) Actual election:
 Another condition for democratic elections is that the candidate preferred by the people should get elected. That is, only the candidates selected by the public should be selected.

(v) Free and fair election :
Another condition for democratic elections is that elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can choose as they really wish.

Question 4. 
What is political competition? Mention its merits and demerits.
Answer: 
Political competition: The competition that is found between different political parties and candidates to win the election is called political competition. Merits of political competition

Following are the merits of political competition:
(i) Motivation to work for public interest: Regular election inspires political parties and politiciAnswer: They know that if they raise issues related to public interest, they will win in the coming elections. This inspires them to work for the public.

(ii) Forces political parties to act in public interest: 
Political competition forces political parties to work in public interest because the ruling party knows that if it does not do public welfare, then in the coming elections, the , public will defeat their candidates and oust them from power. Therefore, he has to do the work of public interest only.

Demerits of political competition :
Following are the demerits of political competition:

(i) Sense of disunity: Political competition creates the sense of disunity among people everywhere and gives rise to party politics.

(ii) Mutual allegation and use of wrong methods : 
As part of political competition, various political parties and leaders often accuse each other. Parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections. 

(iii) Social activist distance from political activism : Some good people who may wish to serve the country do not enter this arena because they do not like the idea of being dragged into unhealthy competition.

Question 5. 
Discuss the factors that make elections democratic in India.
Answer: 
Following are the factors that make election democratic in India:
A. Independent Election Commission: 
In India elections are conducted by an independent and very powerful Election Commission. It enjoys the same kind of independence that the judiciary enjoys. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India. But once appointed, the Chief Election Commissioner is not answerable to the President or the government. It has all the rights to hold elections. It is the superintendent, operator and controller of the entire election process, implements the Model Election Code. Directs the government during elections and prevents misuse of government machinery. It may give required instructions with a view to conducting a free and fair election.

B. Popular participation : 
Another way to check the quality of the election process is to see whether people participate in it with enthusiasm. From this point of view, some conclusions related to the participation of people in Indian elections are as follows.

(i) Over the last fifty years, the turnout in Europe and North America has declined. In India the turnout has either remained stable or actually gone up.

(ii) In India the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger proportion as compared to the rich and privileged sections.

(iii) Common people in India feel that through elections they can bring pressure on political parties to adopt policies and programmes favourable to them. Therefore they understand the importance of voting in elections.

(iv) In India the interest of voters in election related activities has been increasing over the years. This activity, which was 8 percent in 1996, increased to 32 percent in 2004.
Therefore it can be concluded that people are participating in election with enthusiasm.

C. Acceptance of election outcome : 
One final test of the free and fairness of election has in the outcome itself. If elections are not free or fair, the outcome always favours the powerful. From this point of view, we can draw the following conclusion regarding election result of India.

1. The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level.
2. In India about half of the sitting MPs or MLAs lose elections.
3. Candidates who are known to have spent a lot of money on “buying votes’ and those with known criminal connections often lose elections.
4. The electoral outcomes are usually accepted as ‘people’s verdict’ by the defeated party.Hence we can say that electoral processes are democratic in India.

Question 6. 
Describe the issues related to the limitations and challenges of Indian
election systems. 
Answer: 
Followings are the issues related to the limitations and challenges of Indian
election system.

(i) Increasing importance of money power : 
The chances of winning the election is more for the candidates and parties with more money than candidates and parties with less money.

(ii) Increasing role of people with criminal background : 
In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connection have been able to push others out of the electoral race and to secure a ‘ticket’ from major parties. Due to this, the role of criminal elements in electoral politics is increasing.

(iii) Familyism : 
Some families tend to dominate political parties; tickets are distributed to relatives from these families. This has led to the domination of familyism in the Indian electoral system.

(iv) No choices : 
Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens, for both the major parties are quite similar to each other both in policies and practice.

(v) Problems of small parties and independents leaders : 
Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage compared to bigger parties. Therefore, they are unable to compete with them in equal capacity.
These challenges exist not just in India but also in many established democracies.