Electoral Politics

Hello students, welcome to today's lesson on Chapter 3 of your Civics textbook – Electoral Politics. I am so happy to be here with you to explore this very important chapter. Now, before we begin, let me ask you a question. Have you ever seen your parents or elders going to vote? Have you ever heard about elections on the news? Of course you have! Elections are a part of our daily life in India. But have you ever wondered why we have elections? How do they work? What makes them democratic? Well, that's exactly what we are going to learn in this chapter. So let's begin together.

In Chapter 1 of your textbook, you have already seen that in a democracy it is neither possible nor necessary for people to govern directly. The most common form of democracy in our times is for the people to govern through their representatives. In this chapter, we will look at how these representatives are elected. We begin by understanding why elections are necessary and useful in a democracy. We try to understand how electoral competition among parties serves the people. We then go on to ask what makes an election democratic. The basic idea here is to distinguish democratic elections from non-democratic elections.

The rest of the chapter tries to assess elections in India in the light of this yardstick. We take a look at each stage of elections, from the drawing of boundaries of different constituencies to the declaration of results. At each stage we ask what should happen and what does happen in elections. Towards the end of the chapter, we turn to an assessment of whether elections in India are free and fair. Here we also examine the role of the Election Commission in ensuring free and fair elections.

Now let's start with the first section – Why Elections?

So students, let me tell you a story. This is a real story from the State of Haryana. The time is after midnight. An expectant crowd has been sitting for the past five hours in a chowk or square of a town, waiting for its leader to come. The organisers keep assuring the crowd that he would be here any moment. The crowd stands up whenever a passing vehicle comes that way, hoping that he has arrived.

Who was this leader? He was Mr. Devi Lal, chief of the Haryana Sangharsh Samiti, who was to address a meeting in Karnal on a Thursday night. Now, Devi Lal was a 76-year-old leader who was very busy in those days. His day started at 8 in the morning and ended after 11 at night. He had already addressed nine election meetings since morning and had been constantly addressing public meetings for the past 23 months, preparing for this election.

This newspaper report is about the State assembly election in Haryana in 1987. The State had been ruled by a Congress party-led government since 1982. Chaudhary Devi Lal, then an opposition leader, led a movement called 'Nyaya Yudh' which means Struggle for Justice, and formed a new party called Lok Dal. His party joined other opposition parties to form a front against the Congress in the elections.

Now, in the election campaign, Devi Lal made a very important promise. He said that if his party won the elections, his government would waive the loans of farmers and small businessmen. He promised that this would be the first action of his government. The people were unhappy with the existing government. They were also attracted by Devi Lal's promise. So, when elections were held, they voted overwhelmingly in favour of Lok Dal and its allies. The results were stunning – Lok Dal and its partners won 76 out of 90 seats in the State Assembly. Lok Dal alone won 60 seats and thus had a clear majority in the Assembly. The Congress could win only 5 seats!

Once the election results were announced, the sitting Chief Minister resigned. The newly elected Members of Legislative Assembly, what we call MLAs, of Lok Dal chose Devi Lal as their leader. The Governor invited Devi Lal to be the new Chief Minister. Three days after the election results were declared, he became the Chief Minister. And what did he do as soon as he became the Chief Minister? He kept his promise! His Government issued a Government Order waiving the outstanding loans of small farmers, agricultural labourers and small businessmen. His party ruled the State for four years. The next elections were held in 1991. But this time his party did not win popular support. The Congress won the election and formed the government.

Now students, this story tells us a lot about how elections work in a democracy. Let me now ask you some questions based on this story. The textbook asks – do most leaders fulfil their election promises? And then it gives some conclusions that Jagdeep and Navpreet drew from this story. Let me help you evaluate each of these conclusions.

First conclusion: Elections can lead to changes in the policy of the government. Is this right or wrong? Well, students, this is absolutely right! Look at the story – because of the election, there was a change in government, and the new government changed the policy by waiving loans. So yes, elections can lead to changes in the policy of the government.

Second conclusion: The Governor invited Devi Lal to become the Chief Minister because he was impressed with his speeches. Is this correct? No, students, this is wrong. The Governor invited Devi Lal because his party had won the majority of seats in the assembly. This is the democratic process – the party that wins the election forms the government. It has nothing to do with being impressed by speeches.

Third conclusion: People are unhappy with every ruling party and vote against it in the next election. Is this always true? No, this is not correct. In our story, the Congress had been ruling since 1982, and people voted against them in 1987. But this does not mean people are always unhappy with every ruling party. Sometimes ruling parties also win elections again. So we cannot say this is always true. The information given in the story is inadequate to call this conclusion right or wrong in general.

Fourth conclusion: The party that wins the election forms the government. Is this correct? Yes, absolutely! This is a fundamental principle of democracy. In our story, Lok Dal won and formed the government. This is exactly what happens.

Fifth conclusion: This election led to a lot of economic development in Haryana. Now students, the story does not give us any information about economic development. It only tells us about loan waiver. So we cannot say whether there was a lot of economic development or not. The information is inadequate.

Sixth conclusion: The Congress Chief Minister need not have resigned after his party lost elections. Is this true? No, students, this is not correct. In a democracy, when a government loses the support of the majority in the assembly, the Chief Minister must resign. This is the convention. The Congress Chief Minister had to resign because his party lost the election. This is how democracy works.

Now students, after this story, there is an Activity in your textbook. It asks – 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, when were they held, and the name and designation of the persons who got elected from your area. I want you to do this activity at home. Ask your parents or elders about the elections in your area. Find out whether it was a Lok Sabha election, or Assembly election, or Panchayat election. Find out who won and who is the elected representative – whether it is an MP, MLA, or Sarpanch. This will help you understand elections better.

Now let's move on to the next part – Why do we need elections?

Students, let me ask you a question. Imagine there is no election. How would people choose their representatives? In a small group, maybe everyone can sit together and decide. But in a country as big as ours, with so many people, it is not possible for everyone to sit together every day and take all the decisions. We already learned in Chapter 1 that direct democracy is not possible in large communities. Nor is it possible for everyone to have the time and knowledge to take decisions on all matters. Therefore in most democracies people rule through their representatives.

Now, is there a democratic way of selecting representatives without elections? Let's think about this. What if we select representatives on the basis of age and experience? Or on the basis of education or knowledge? There could be some difficulty in deciding who is more experienced or knowledgeable. But let's say the people can resolve these difficulties. Then would we need elections? Well, such a place would not require elections in the sense we understand them.

But can we call this place a democracy? How do we find out if the people like their representatives or not? How do we ensure that these representatives rule as per the wishes of the people? How to make sure that those who the people don't like do not remain their representatives? This requires a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals and change them if they wish to do so. This mechanism is called election.

Therefore, students, elections are considered essential in our times for any representative democracy.

Now, what exactly do voters choose in an election? Let me explain this clearly. In an election, the voters make many choices. First, they can choose who will make laws for them – this means choosing their MPs and MLAs who will sit in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies and make laws. Second, they can choose who will form the government and take major decisions – this means choosing the party that will form the government at the centre or in the state. Third, they can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law making. So elections give power to the people to decide who will govern them.

Now students, let me ask you another question. We have seen why democracies need to have elections. But why do rulers in non-democratic countries need to hold elections? Well, even non-democratic countries sometimes hold elections to give their rule a sense of legitimacy or to show the world that they are democratic. But as we will learn, these elections are often not free and fair.

Now let's move on to the next important question – What makes an election democratic?

Elections can be held in many ways. All democratic countries hold elections. But most non-democratic countries also hold some kind of elections. How do we distinguish democratic elections from any other election? We have discussed this question briefly in Chapter 1. We discussed many examples of countries where elections are held but they can't really be called democratic elections. Let me recall what we learned there and start with a simple list of the minimum conditions of a democratic election.

The first condition is that everyone should be able to choose. This means that everyone should have one vote and every vote should have equal value. This is called universal adult franchise.

The second condition 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.

The third condition is that the choice should be offered at regular intervals. Elections must be held regularly after every few years. In India, elections are held every five years.

The fourth condition is that the candidate preferred by the people should get elected. This means that the candidate who gets the most votes should win.

The fifth condition is that elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can choose as they really wish.

Students, these might look like very simple and easy conditions. But there are many countries where these are not fulfilled. In this chapter we will apply these conditions to the elections held in our own country to see if we can call these democratic elections.

Now, let me ask you – Is it good to have political competition? Elections are all about political competition. This competition takes various forms. The most obvious form is the competition among political parties. At the constituency level, it takes the form of competition among several candidates. If there is no competition, elections will become pointless.

But is it good to have political competition? Clearly, an electoral competition has many demerits. It creates a sense of disunity and factionalism in every locality. You would have heard of people complaining about party-politics in your locality. Different political parties and leaders often level allegations against one another. Parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections. Some people say that this pressure to win electoral fights does not allow sensible long-term policies to be formulated. Some good people who may wish to serve the country do not enter this arena. They do not like the idea of being dragged into unhealthy competition.

Our Constitution makers were aware of these problems. Yet they opted for free competition in elections as the way to select our future leaders. They did so because this system works better in the long run. In an ideal world all political leaders know what is good for the people and are motivated only by a desire to serve them. Political competition is not necessary in such an ideal world. But that is not what happens in real life. Political leaders all over the world, like all other professionals, are motivated by a desire to advance their political careers. They want to remain in power or get power and positions for themselves. They may wish to serve the people as well, but it is risky to depend entirely on their sense of duty. Besides, even when they wish to serve the people, they may not know what is required to do so, or their ideas may not match what the people really want.

So how do we deal with this real life situation? One way is to try and improve the knowledge and character of political leaders. The other and more realistic way is to set up a system where political leaders are rewarded for serving the people and punished for not doing so. Who decides this reward or punishment? The simple answer is: the people. This is what electoral competition does. Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and leaders. They 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.

So students, if a political party is motivated only by desire to be in power, even then it will be forced to serve the people. This is a bit like the way a market works. Even if a shopkeeper is interested only in his profit, he is forced to give good service to the customers. If he does not, the customer will go to some other shop. Similarly, political competition may cause divisions and some ugliness, but it finally helps to force political parties and leaders to serve the people.

Now students, there is a box in your textbook that says – Ah! So, elections are like exams where politicians and parties know if they have passed or failed. But who are the examiners? And then it asks you to read two cartoons carefully and write the message of each 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.

I want you to look at these cartoons carefully when you are at home. Try to understand what message each cartoon is giving. In one cartoon, the voter is shown as the boss who is being served by the politician. In the other cartoon, the politician is shown as the master who is being feared by the voter. Which one is closer to reality in your area? Think about this and discuss with your teacher and classmates.

Now let's move on to the next section – What Is Our System of Elections?

Can we say that Indian elections are democratic? To answer this question, let us take a look at how elections are held in India. Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha or Assembly elections are held regularly after every five years. After five years the term of all the elected representatives comes to an end. The Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha stands dissolved. Elections are held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same day or within a few days. This is called a general election. Sometimes election is held only for one constituency to fill the vacancy caused by death or resignation of a member. This is called a by-election. In this chapter we will focus on general elections.

Now let's understand about electoral constituencies. You read about the people of Haryana electing 90 MLAs. You may have wondered how they did that. Did every person in Haryana vote for all the 90 MLAs? You perhaps know that this is not the case. In our country we follow an area based system of representation. The country is divided into different areas for purposes of elections. These areas are called electoral constituencies. The voters who live in an area elect one representative.

For Lok Sabha elections, the country is divided into 543 constituencies. The representative elected from each constituency is called a Member of Parliament or an MP. 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 a roughly equal population living within it.

Similarly, each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies. In this case, the elected representative is called the Member of Legislative Assembly or an MLA. Each Parliamentary constituency has within it several assembly constituencies. The same principle applies for Panchayat 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. Sometimes these constituencies are counted as seats, for each constituency represents one seat in the assembly. When we say that Lok Dal won 60 seats in Haryana, it means that candidates of Lok Dal won in 60 assembly constituencies in the state and thus Lok Dal had 60 MLAs in the state assembly.

Now students, there is a mention of Gulbarga Lok Sabha Constituency in your textbook. It asks why the boundary of the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency is not the same as the district boundary of Gulbarga. And it asks how many Assembly constituencies are there in the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency. I want you to find out about your own Lok Sabha constituency. Find out how many assembly constituencies are there in your parliamentary constituency. This will help you understand how our electoral system works.

Now let's talk about Reserved Constituencies. Our Constitution entitles every citizen to elect her or his representative and to be elected as a representative. The Constitution makers, however, were worried that in an open electoral competition, certain weaker sections may not stand a good chance to get elected to the Lok Sabha and the state Legislative Assemblies. They may not have the required resources, education and contacts to contest and win elections against others. Those who are influential and resourceful may prevent them from winning elections. If that happens, our Parliament and Assemblies would be deprived of the voice of a significant section of our population. That would make our democracy less representative and less democratic.

So, the makers of our Constitution thought of a special system of reserved constituencies for the weaker sections. Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes which we call SC, and Scheduled Tribes which we call ST. In a SC reserved constituency, only someone who belongs to the Scheduled Castes can stand for election. Similarly, only those belonging to the Scheduled Tribes can contest an election from a constituency reserved for ST. Currently, in the Lok Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the Scheduled Tribes as on 26 January 2019. This number is in proportion to their share in the total population. Thus the reserved seats for SC and ST do not take away the legitimate share of any other social group.

This system of reservation was extended later to other weaker sections at the district and local level. In many states, seats in rural which is Panchayat, and urban which is municipalities and corporations, local bodies are now reserved for Other Backward Classes which is OBC as well. However, the proportion of seats reserved varies from state to state. Similarly, one-third of the seats are reserved in rural and urban local bodies for women candidates.

Now students, there is a very important update here. The textbook mentions that one-third of the seats in Panchayats are reserved for women. But I want to tell you that recently, in 2023, the Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam or Women's Reservation Act 2023. This means that one-third of the seats in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies have also been reserved for women. This is a very important step for women's representation in our democracy.

Now let's move on to the Voters' List. Once the constituencies are decided, the next step is to decide who can and who cannot vote. This decision cannot be left to anyone till the last day. In a democratic election, the list of those who are eligible to vote is prepared much before the election and given to everyone. This list is officially called the Electoral Roll and is commonly known as the Voters' List.

This is an important step for it is linked to the first condition of a democratic election: everyone should get an equal opportunity to choose representatives. Earlier, we read about the principle of universal adult franchise. In practice it means that everyone should have one vote and each vote should have equal value. No one should be denied the right to vote without a good reason. Different citizens differ from one another in many ways: some are rich, some are poor; some are highly educated, some are not so educated or not educated at all; 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.

In our country, all the citizens aged 18 years and above can vote in an election. Every citizen has the right to vote, regardless of his or her caste, religion or gender. Some criminals and persons with unsound mind can be denied the right to vote, but only in rare situations. It is the responsibility of the government to get the names of all the eligible voters put on the voters' list. As new persons attain voting age, names are added to the voters' list. Names of those who move out of a place or those who are dead are deleted. A complete revision of the list takes place every five years. This is done to ensure that it remains up to date.

In the last few years a new system of Election Photo Identity Card which we call EPIC has been introduced. The government has tried to give this card to every person on the voters list. The voters are required to carry this card when they go out to vote, so that no one can vote for someone else. But the card is not yet compulsory for voting. For voting, the voters can show many other proofs of identity like the ration card or the driving licence.

Now students, you can see in your textbook an example of an Electoral Roll. This is from Mizoram. It shows how the voters' list is prepared. It has details like the name of the voter, father's name, house number, age, and sex. This is how every state prepares its voters' list.

Now let's talk about Nomination of Candidates. We noted above that in a democratic election people should have a real choice. This happens only when there are almost no restrictions on anyone to contest an election. This is what our system provides. Anyone who can be a voter can also become a candidate in elections. The only difference is that in order to be a candidate the minimum age is 25 years, while it is only 18 years for being a voter. There are some other restrictions on criminals etc. but these apply in very extreme cases.

Political parties nominate their candidates who get the party symbol and support. Party's nomination is often called party ticket.

Every person who wishes to contest an election has to fill a nomination form and give some money as security deposit.

Recently, a new system of declaration has been introduced on direction from the Supreme Court. Every candidate has to make a legal declaration, giving full details of serious criminal cases pending against the candidate, details of the assets and liabilities of the candidate and his or her family, and educational qualifications of the candidate. This information has to be made public. This provides an opportunity to the voters to make their decision on the basis of the information provided by the candidates.

Now there is an important question in the textbook – Why is there no educational qualification for holding such an important position when some kind of educational qualification is needed for any other job in the country? Let me explain this to you.

First, educational qualifications are not relevant to all kinds of jobs. The relevant qualification for selection to the Indian cricket team, for example, is not the attainment of educational degrees but the ability to play cricket well. Similarly the relevant qualification for being an MLA or an MP is the ability to understand people's concerns, problems and to represent their interests. Whether they can do so or not is examined by lakhs of examiners – their voters – after every five years.

Second, even if education was relevant, it should be left to the people to decide how much importance they give to educational qualifications.

Third, in our country putting an educational qualification would go against the spirit of democracy for yet another reason. It would mean depriving a majority of the country's citizens the right to contest elections. If, for example, a graduate degree like B.A., B.Com or B.Sc was made compulsory for candidates, more than 90 per cent of the citizens will become ineligible to contest elections. That would be very unfair, isn't it?

Now there is another question – Why are the candidates required to give a detailed statement of their property? This is to ensure transparency. Voters should know how wealthy a candidate is and whether there is any conflict of interest. It also helps to check black money in elections.

Now students, let me draw your attention to the table in the textbook that shows the number of Lok Sabha constituencies in different states and union territories. This table shows that there are 543 total constituencies in India. Out of these, 412 are general, 84 are reserved for SC, and 47 are reserved for ST. The table also shows the number of constituencies in each state. For example, Uttar Pradesh has 80 constituencies, West Bengal has 42, Maharashtra has 48, and so on.

Now answer these questions from the textbook. First, what is the number of Lok Sabha constituencies in your state and the neighbouring two states? You need to look at this table and find out. Second, which states have more than 30 Lok Sabha constituencies? Looking at the table, we can see that Uttar Pradesh has 80, Maharashtra has 48, West Bengal has 42, Bihar has 40, Tamil Nadu has 39, and so on. Third, why do some states have such a large number of constituencies? This is because these states have a larger population. The number of constituencies is decided on the basis of population. Fourth, why are some constituencies small in area while others are very big? This is because population density is different. In densely populated areas, constituencies are smaller in area but have more voters. In sparsely populated areas, constituencies are larger in area but have fewer voters. Fifth, are the constituencies reserved for the SCs and STs evenly spread all over the entire country or are there more in some areas? They are distributed in proportion to the population of SCs and STs in different states. So they are more in states where the population of SCs and STs is higher.

Now there is a matching exercise in the textbook. Let me help you match the principles with the features of our electoral system.

Universal adult franchise means everyone who is 18 years of age or older has a right to vote. This matches with the feature: everyone who is 18 years of age or older has a right to vote.

Representation of weaker sections is done through reservation of seats for the SCs and the STs. This matches with the feature: reservation of seats for the SCs and the STs.

Open political competition means anyone can form a party or contest elections. This matches with the feature: anyone can form a party or contest elections.

One vote one value means each constituency has roughly the same population. This matches with the feature: each constituency has roughly the same population.

Now let's move on to Election Campaign. The main purpose of election is to give people a chance to choose the representatives, the government and the policies they prefer. Therefore it is necessary to have a free and open discussion about who is a better representative, which party will make a better government or what is a good policy. This is what happens during election campaigns.

In our country such campaigns take place for a two-week period between the announcement of the final list of candidates and the date of polling. During this period the candidates contact their voters, political leaders address election meetings and political parties mobilise their supporters. This is also the period when newspapers and television news are full of election related stories and debates.

But election campaign is not limited to these two weeks only. Political parties start preparing for elections months before they actually take place.

In election campaigns, political parties try to focus public attention on some big issues. They want to attract the public to that issue and get them to vote for their party on that basis. Let us look at some of the successful slogans given by different political parties in various elections.

The Congress party led by Indira Gandhi gave the slogan of Garibi Hatao which means Remove poverty in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971. The party promised to reorient all the policies of the government to remove poverty from the country.

Save Democracy was the slogan given by Janata Party under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan in the Lok Sabha election held in 1977. The party promised to undo the excesses committed during Emergency and restore civil liberties.

The Left Front used the slogan of Land to the Tiller in the West Bengal Assembly elections held in 1977.

Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus was the slogan used by N. T. Rama Rao, the leader of the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections in 1983.

Now students, there is an Activity in the textbook. It asks – 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. I want you to ask your parents and elders about the last Lok Sabha election. What did the candidates promise? What did the parties say in their campaigns? This will help you understand how election campaigns work.

Now, in a democracy it is best to leave political parties and candidates free to conduct their election campaigns the way they want to. But it is sometimes necessary to regulate campaigns to ensure that every political party and candidate gets a fair and equal chance to compete. According to our election law, no party or candidate can bribe or threaten voters, appeal to them in the name of caste or religion, use government resources for election campaign, or spend more than ₹25 lakh in a constituency for a Lok Sabha election or ₹10 lakh in a constituency in an Assembly election. If they do so, their election can be rejected by the court even after they have been declared elected.

In addition to the laws, all the political parties in our country have agreed to a Model Code of Conduct for election campaigns. According to this, no party or candidate can use any place of worship for election propaganda, use government vehicles, aircrafts and officials for elections. Once elections are announced, Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of any projects, take any big policy decisions or make any promises of providing public facilities.

Now let's move on to Polling and Counting of Votes. The final stage of an election is the day when the voters cast or poll their vote. That day is usually called the election day. Every person whose name is on the voters' list can go to a nearby polling booth, situated usually in a local school or a government office. Once the voter goes inside the booth, the election officials identify her, put a mark on her finger and allow her to cast her vote. An agent of each candidate is allowed to sit inside the polling booth and ensure that the voting takes place in a fair way.

Now there is an important question – Are the elections too expensive for our country? A large amount of money is spent in conducting elections in India. For instance, the government spent about ₹3,500 crores in conducting Lok Sabha elections in 2014. That works out to about ₹40 per person on the voters' list. The amount spent by parties and candidates was more than what the government spent. Roughly speaking, the expenditure made by government, parties and candidates was around ₹30,000 crores or ₹500 per voter.

Some people say that elections are a burden on our people, that our poor country cannot afford to hold elections once every five years. Let us compare this expenditure with some other figures. In 2005, our government decided to buy six nuclear submarines from France. Each submarine cost about ₹3,000 crores. Delhi hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010. The estimate for its cost is around ₹20,000 crores. So students, you can see that the cost of elections, while high, is not unreasonable when compared to other government expenditures. You decide whether the elections are too expensive.

Now let's look at the election result in Gulbarga. In 2014, a total of 8 candidates contested elections in that constituency. The total eligible voters were 17.21 lakhs. Of these, 9.98 lakh voters had cast their votes. The candidate of the Congress party, Mallikarjun Kharge, secured about 5.07 lakh votes. This was 50.82 percent of the total votes polled. Since he had secured more votes than anyone else, he was declared elected a Member of Parliament from Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency.

Now let's answer the questions based on this table. First, what is the percentage of voters who had actually cast their votes? The total eligible voters were 17.21 lakhs, and 9.98 lakh voters cast their votes. So the percentage is (9.98/17.21) × 100 = approximately 58 percent. Second, to win an election is it necessary for a person to secure more than half the votes polled? No, it is not necessary. In this election, Mallikarjun Kharge won with 50.82 percent of the votes, which is more than 50 percent. But in many elections, a candidate can win with less than 50 percent of the votes. The candidate who gets the most votes wins. This is called the first-past-the-post system.

Now, why are party agents present in the polling booth and the counting centre? They are present to ensure that the voting and counting takes place in a fair and transparent manner. They watch the process and can raise objections if they see any malpractice.

Earlier the voters used to indicate who they wanted to vote for by putting a stamp on the ballot paper. A ballot paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting candidates along with party name and symbols are listed. Nowadays electronic voting machines which we call EVM are used to record votes. The machine shows the names of the candidates and the party symbols. Independent candidates too have their own symbols, allotted by Election Commission. All that the voter has to do is to press the button against the name of the candidate she wants to give her vote.

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 agents of all candidates are present there to ensure that the counting is done properly. The candidate who secures the highest number of votes from a constituency is declared elected. In a general election, usually the counting of votes in all the constituencies takes place at the same time, on the same day. Television channels, radio and newspapers report this event. Within a few hours of counting, all the results are declared and it becomes clear as to who will form the next government.

Now there is an exercise in the textbook – Identify the fair and the unfair electoral practices among the following. Let me go through each one.

First: A minister flags off a new train in his constituency a week before polling day. This is an unfair practice because using government resources for election campaigning is not allowed. The Model Code of Conduct prohibits this.

Second: A candidate promises that she will get a new train for her constituency if she is elected. This is a fair practice. Candidates are allowed to make promises or manifestos about what they will do if elected.

Third: Supporters of a candidate take the voters to a temple and make them take an oath that they will vote for him. This is an unfair practice because it involves influencing voters through religious means, which is not allowed.

Fourth: The supporters of a candidate distribute blankets in slums in return for a promise for vote. This is an unfair practice because it involves bribing voters, which is against the election law.

Now let's move on to the next section – What Makes Elections in India Democratic?

We get to read a lot about unfair practices in elections. Newspapers and television reports often refer to such allegations. Most of these reports are about the inclusion of false names and exclusion of genuine names in the voters' list, misuse of government facilities and officials by the ruling party, excessive use of money by rich candidates and big parties, and intimidation of voters and rigging on the polling day.

Many of these reports are correct. We feel unhappy when we read or see such reports. But fortunately they are not on such a scale so as to defeat the very purpose of elections. This becomes clear if we ask a basic question: Can a party win an election and come to power not because it has popular support but through electoral malpractices? This is a vital question. Let us carefully examine various aspects of this question.

Now let's talk about the Independent Election Commission. One simple way of checking whether elections are fair or not is to look at who conducts the elections. Are they independent of the government? Or can the government or the ruling party influence or pressurise them? Do they have enough powers to be able to conduct free and fair elections? Do they actually use these powers?

The answer to all these questions is quite positive for our country. In our country elections are conducted by an independent and very powerful Election Commission which we call EC. It enjoys the same kind of independence that the judiciary enjoys. The Chief Election Commissioner which we call CEC is appointed by the President of India. But once appointed, the Chief Election Commissioner is not answerable to the President or the government. Even if the ruling party or the government does not like what the Commission does, it is virtually impossible for it to remove the CEC.

Very few election commissions in the world have such wide-ranging powers as the Election Commission of India.

The EC takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control of elections from the announcement of elections to the declaration of results. It implements the Code of Conduct and punishes any candidate or party that violates it. 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. When on election duty, government officers work under the control of the EC and not the government.

In the last 25 years or so, the Election Commission has begun to exercise all its powers and even expand them. It is very common now for the Election Commission to reprimand the government and administration for their lapses. When election officials come to the opinion that polling was not fair in some booths or even an entire constituency, they order a repoll. The ruling parties often do not like what the EC does. But they have to obey. This would not have happened if the EC was not independent and powerful.

Now there is a question – Why does the Election Commission have so much powers? Is this good for democracy? Yes, it is good for democracy because it ensures that elections are free and fair. The EC needs these powers to be able to check the misuse of power by the government and to ensure a level playing field for all parties and candidates.

Now there are some headlines in the textbook about the Election Commission. Let me help you identify which powers are used by the Election Commission in each instance to ensure free and fair elections.

Photo I-cards not mandatory in Bihar – This shows that the EC decides the voting procedures and rules.

EC issues notification constituting 14th polls Lok Sabha – This shows that the EC has the power to announce and conduct elections.

EC tightens norms for poll expenses – This shows that the EC regulates election expenditure.

EC will seek power to censure political ads – This shows that the EC controls election campaigning.

EC to visit Gujarat again, review poll arrangements – This shows that the EC monitors the election process.

EC says no immediate plan to ban Exit Polls – This shows that the EC regulates media coverage of elections.

HC asks EC to bar criminal netas – This shows that the EC can debar candidates with criminal background.

EC shoots down HM advice on poll reforms – This shows that the EC is independent of the government.

EC accepts new Haryana DGP – This shows that the EC can direct the government on election-related matters.

EC orders repoll in 398 more booths – This shows that the EC can order re-polling if needed.

EC to keep closer eye on hidden poll costs – This shows that the EC monitors election expenditure.

Now let's talk about Popular Participation. Another way to check the quality of the election process is to see whether people participate in it with enthusiasm. If the election process is not free or fair, people will not continue to participate in the exercise.

Now look at the charts in the textbook. The first chart shows Voter Turnout in India and the UK. 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. In 2015, both India and UK had 66 percent turnout. This shows that Indian voters are actively participating in elections.

The second chart shows Voter Turnout in India and US by social groups. In India, the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger proportion as compared to the rich and privileged sections. This is in contrast to western democracies. For example in the United States of America, poor people, African Americans and Hispanics vote much less than the rich and the white people. In India, the turnout among SC and ST is higher than among upper castes. This shows that Indian democracy is truly representative.

The third point says that Common people in India attach a lot of importance to elections. They feel that through elections they can bring pressure on political parties to adopt policies and programmes favourable to them. They also feel that their vote matters in the way things are run in the country.

The fourth chart shows that the interest of voters in election-related activities has been increasing over the years. During the 2004 elections, more than one-third voters took part in campaign-related activities. More than half of the people identified themselves as being close to one or the other political party. One out of every seven voters is a member of a political party.

Now there is an Activity in the textbook. It asks you to 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. This is a very good activity. Please do it at home and share your findings with your classmates.

Now there is a chart that shows whether people think their vote makes a difference. According to the National Election Study 2004, 67 percent of people said their vote has effect, 18 percent said it has no effect, and 15 percent said they don't know. This shows that most people believe that their vote matters.

Now let's talk about 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. In such a situation, the ruling parties do not lose elections. Usually, the losing party does not accept the outcome of a rigged election.

The outcome of India's elections speaks for itself. The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level. In fact in every two out of the three elections held in the last 25 years, the ruling party lost. In the US, an incumbent or sitting elected representative rarely loses an election. In India about half of the sitting MPs or MLAs lose elections. Candidates who are known to have spent a lot of money on buying votes and those with known criminal connections often lose elections. Barring very few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are usually accepted as people's verdict by the defeated party.

Now let's talk about Challenges to Free and Fair Elections. Questions of this kind bring the many limitations and challenges of Indian elections to our attention. These include candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory but they do enjoy a big and unfair advantage over smaller parties and independents. 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. Some families tend to dominate political parties; tickets are distributed to relatives from these families. 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. Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage compared to bigger parties.

These challenges exist not just in India but also in many established democracies. These deeper issues are a matter of concern for those who believe in democracy. That is why citizens, social activists and organisations have been demanding reforms in our electoral system.

Now there is a cartoon in the textbook titled Electoral Campaigns. It was drawn in the Latin American context. The question is – does this apply to India and to other democracies in the world? 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?

The cartoon shows that before elections, the politician bows before the voter and promises everything. But after elections, the voter is shown bowing before the politician. This does happen in some places, but it should not happen in a democracy. In a true democracy, the politician should remain accountable to the voter even after elections. There are examples when politicians have remained connected with their voters even after winning elections.

Now let's look at the Check Your Progress section. 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.

First: The 16th Lok Sabha has 12 per cent women members. This is a weakness because women constitute nearly 50 percent of the population but only 12 percent of the MPs are women. However, with the Women's Reservation Act 2023, this is expected to change in the future.

Second: The Election Commission often refuses to accept the government's advice about when the elections should be held. This is a strength because it shows that the EC is independent and can take its own decisions.

Third: The 16th Lok Sabha has more than 440 members whose assets are more than Rs.1 crore. This is a weakness because it shows that rich people have an advantage in elections. It also raises questions about the source of such wealth.

Fourth: After losing an election the Chief Minister said: "I respect the people's verdict". This is a strength because it shows that our democratic system is accepted and the outcome of elections is respected.

Now let's solve the exercises at the end of the chapter.

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. This is true.

b. People select the representative of their choice in an election. This is true.

c. Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary. This is false. Elections are for choosing representatives, not for evaluating the judiciary. The judiciary is evaluated through its own judgments and the higher courts.

d. People can indicate which policies they prefer. This is true. Through elections, people show their preference for policies by voting for parties that support those policies.

So the false statement is (c).

Exercise 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. This is true, but it is not a reason for saying elections are democratic. The number of voters does not determine whether elections are democratic or not.

b. India's Election Commission is very powerful. This is a good reason because the powerful and independent EC ensures free and fair elections.

c. In India, everyone above the age of 18 has a right to vote. This is a good reason because universal adult franchise is a key feature of democracy.

d. In India, the losing parties accept the electoral verdict. This is a good reason because accepting the outcome shows that the elections are fair and democratic.

So the answer is (a). India having the largest number of voters does not make elections democratic. Democracy is about how elections are conducted, not how many people vote.

Exercise 3: Match the following.

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. This is correct because the voters list needs to be updated to remove those who have moved away and add those who have newly turned 18 or moved into the area.

b. Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that – i. there is a fair representation of all sections of our society. This is correct because reservation ensures that SCs and STs are represented in the Parliament and Assemblies.

c. Everyone has one and only one vote so that – ii. everyone has equal opportunity to elect their representative. This is correct because one person one vote ensures equality.

d. Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because – iii. all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections. This is correct because using government resources would give an unfair advantage to the ruling party.

So the matches are: a-iv, b-i, c-ii, d-iii.

Exercise 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.

The activities mentioned in the chapter are: making of voters' list, announcing election schedule, filing nomination, election campaign, casting of votes, counting of votes, declaration of election results, ordering of re-poll, and releasing election manifestos.

Now let me arrange them in time sequence:

1. Making of voters' list – This happens first, before any election is announced.

2. Announcing election schedule – This happens after the election is announced by the Election Commission.

3. Filing nomination – Candidates file their nominations during the election schedule.

4. Releasing election manifestos – Parties release their manifestos during the campaign period.

5. Election campaign – This happens after nominations are filed and before voting.

6. Casting of votes – This is the actual voting day or days.

7. Counting of votes – This happens after polling is over.

8. Declaration of election results – This happens after counting.

9. Ordering of re-poll – This can happen at any time if there are complaints or irregularities.

Exercise 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 – During the election campaign, Surekha should ensure that the Model Code of Conduct is followed by all parties and candidates. She should check that no one is bribing or threatening voters, no one is appealing on the basis of caste or religion, and no one is misusing government resources. She should also ensure that the campaign is peaceful and all parties get equal opportunity to campaign.

b. Polling day – On polling day, Surekha should ensure that the polling stations are set up properly, polling officials are trained, security is adequate, voters can cast their votes without fear, and no malpractice like rigging or booth capturing takes place. She should also ensure that party agents are present at polling stations.

c. Counting day – On counting day, Surekha should ensure that the counting is done transparently and fairly, all party agents are present, and the results are declared correctly. If there are any discrepancies, she should order a re-count or re-poll if necessary.

Exercise 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?

The table shows that Blacks are 8 percent in the House of Representatives but 13 percent in the population. Hispanics are 5 percent in the House but 13 percent in the population. Whites are 86 percent in the House but 70 percent in the population.

This shows that Blacks and Hispanics are underrepresented in the US Congress. However, I would not suggest a system of reservations in the US for several reasons. First, the US has a different historical and social context. Second, the US follows a different electoral system. Third, reservations can sometimes create divisions in society. However, some form of affirmative action or special measures to encourage representation could be considered.

Exercise 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.

No, we cannot draw this conclusion. The chapter clearly states that the EC has wide-ranging powers. It can implement the Code of Conduct, punish violators, order re-polls, and direct the government during elections. Fact 1: The EC can order the government to follow guidelines and transfer officials. Fact 2: The EC can order re-polls in booths or constituencies where polling was not fair.

b. There is a high level of popular participation in the elections in our country.

Yes, we can draw this conclusion. Fact 1: Voter turnout in India has either remained stable or gone up over the years, while it has declined in many Western democracies. Fact 2: In India, the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger proportion compared to the rich, which shows wide participation.

c. It is very easy for the party in power to win an election.

No, we cannot draw this conclusion. Fact 1: The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level. In fact in every two out of the three elections held in the last 25 years, the ruling party lost. Fact 2: About half of the sitting MPs or MLAs lose elections.

d. Many reforms are needed to make our elections completely free and fair.

Yes, we can draw this conclusion. Fact 1: Candidates with criminal connections sometimes win elections. Fact 2: Rich candidates have an unfair advantage over poorer candidates. Fact 3: There are reports of malpractices like false names in voters' list, misuse of government resources, and intimidation of voters.

Exercise 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?

No, this decision does not go against the principles of democratic elections. While democracy allows everyone to participate in elections, there are some limitations. People who have been convicted of serious crimes can be barred from contesting elections. This is to ensure that people with criminal background do not represent the people. It is a reasonable restriction in a democracy. The right to vote is still available to them, but the right to be elected can be restricted in certain cases.

Exercise 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.

India can teach Nigeria to have an independent election commission. The EC in India is very powerful and independent. It can order re-polls and punish those who manipulate votes. Nigeria should establish an independent election commission with powers to monitor the entire election process.

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.

India can teach Fiji to have strict laws against intimidating voters. The Model Code of Conduct in India prohibits threatening voters. Fiji should have strict laws and their election commission should take action against such practices.

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.

India can teach the US to have a more centralized election system. In India, the Election Commission conducts all elections uniformly across the country. The US could learn from India to have a more standardized and centralized election system.

Exercise 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.

This is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Once elections are announced, ministers cannot make promises or announce new schemes. This is to prevent the misuse of government power for electoral purposes. The Election Commission should take action against such ministers.

b. Opposition parties alleged that their statements and campaign was not given due attention in Doordarshan and All India Radio.

This is a problem of unequal media access. The public broadcaster should give equal time to all parties. The Election Commission should ensure that all parties get fair coverage in the media.

c. An inquiry by the Election Commission showed that electoral rolls of a state contain name of 20 lakh fake voters.

This is a problem of false entries in the voters' list. The Election Commission should conduct a thorough revision of the voters' list and remove fake names. The authorities should verify the identities of voters properly.

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.

This is a problem of violence and intimidation. The police should take strict action against such hoodlums. The Election Commission should direct the state government to provide adequate security to all parties and candidates.

Exercise 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?

This statement is wrong on many counts. First, it is not true that women always vote the way men tell them to. Women have their own minds and can make their own choices. Second, giving women the right to vote is essential for democracy because women constitute nearly half the population. Denying them the right to vote would be unfair and undemocratic. Third, in many elections, women have voted independently and even differently from men.

b. Party politics creates tension in society. Elections should be decided by consensus not by competition.

This statement is flawed. While party politics can create some tension, it is necessary for democracy. Competition ensures accountability. Consensus-based decision-making is not practical in a diverse democracy like India. Also, consensus often means that the voice of the majority is ignored. Competition allows different views to be expressed and gives people a choice.

c. Only graduates should be allowed to stand as candidates for elections.

This statement is wrong for several reasons. First, educational qualification is not necessary for representing people. What matters is the ability to understand people's problems and represent their interests. Second, if we make graduation compulsory, more than 90 percent of citizens would be ineligible to contest elections. This would go against the spirit of democracy. Third, many successful politicians in India have not been graduates but have served their people well.

Now students, we have come to the end of the chapter. But before I conclude, let me tell you about the Activity at the end. Assembly elections are usually held every year in a few states of the country. You can collect information about the elections that take place during this session. While collecting news items, divide these into three parts: important events that took place before the election, important events on the day of the election and counting, and post-elections. This is a very good activity to understand how elections work in practice.

Also, there is a National Voters' Day Pledge in the textbook. It says: We, the citizens of India, having abiding faith in democracy, hereby pledge to uphold the democratic traditions of our country and the dignity of free, fair and peaceful elections, and to vote in every election fearlessly and without being influenced by considerations of religion, race, caste, community, language or any inducement.

I hope you will take this pledge seriously when you become eligible to vote.

Now let me give you a summary of everything we have learned in this chapter.

In this chapter, we learned about Electoral Politics. We started by understanding why elections are necessary in a democracy. We learned that elections are the mechanism through which people choose their representatives. We saw how elections can lead to changes in government policies, using the example of Devi Lal in Haryana.

We learned about the conditions that make an election democratic: universal adult franchise, free choice among candidates, regular elections, winner based on most votes, and free and fair conduct.

We learned about the Indian electoral system. We learned about electoral constituencies, reserved constituencies for SCs and STs, the voters' list, nomination of candidates, election campaign, polling, and counting of votes.

We learned about the Election Commission and its powers to ensure free and fair elections. We learned that the EC is independent and powerful.

We learned about popular participation in elections in India. We saw that voter turnout in India is high and that people from all sections of society participate actively.

We learned about the challenges to free and fair elections, including the role of money power, criminal elements, family dominance, and lack of choice.

We solved all the exercises in the textbook, including true/false questions, matching, and descriptive questions.

Students, elections are the backbone of democracy. It is our duty as responsible citizens to participate in elections and ensure that our democracy remains strong. When you turn 18, make sure you register as a voter and exercise your right to vote.

Thank you for listening to this lesson. I hope you have understood the chapter well. If you have any questions, please ask your teacher. Goodbye and take care!