Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about The Election System from Class 9 Social_Science. India is the biggest democracy in the world. Free and fair elections are needed for a healthy democracy. In order to ensure free and independent elections in India, Part 15 of the Constitution of India speaks about the Independent Election Commission in India from Articles 324 to 329. The Election Commission is an all India institution. It has the responsibility to conduct both central and state elections. The State Election Commission conducts local body elections under Articles 243 K and 243 ZA. [CHECKPOINT]
Composition of Election Commission of India: Article 324 speaks about the formation of the Indian Election Commission. The Indian Election Commission was founded on January 25, 1950. In the beginning it had only one Chief Election Commissioner. In 1989, through the 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, the minimum age of voting was reduced to 18 years from 21 years. This increased the work pressure of the commission. Hence, along with the Chief Election Commissioner, two more Election Commissioners were appointed. [CHECKPOINT]
In 1990, the posts of two Election Commissioners were removed. Again in 1993, one Chief Election Commissioner and two other Election Commissioners were created. All three commissioners enjoy equal powers. In case of differences in opinions, the majority decision prevails. The President appoints the Election Commissioners on the advice of the union cabinet. Their tenure is for 6 years or the completion of 65 years of age, whichever is earlier. They can tender resignation at any given time to the President of India. The Parliament can impeach them on the grounds of incompetency and unconstitutional behaviours. The Election Commission conducts the elections of the President, Vice President, Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, Vidhana Parishat and Vidhana Sabha. It has absolute powers to declare the dates of election, declaration of the results and during the entire duration of election. This duration is called the Period of Model Code of Conduct. The Election Commission has no employees of its own to conduct elections. Hence it appoints government employees for this work with the approval of the President. Elections to Panchayat Raj and urban local bodies are conducted by the state election commission. [CHECKPOINT]
Now let us move on to Electoral Constituencies. The nation and the state are divided into small electoral divisions for the purpose of elections. These electoral divisions are called constituencies. Constituencies are formed on the basis of population. Constituencies are mainly two types. One is Lok Sabha Constituency and the other is Legislative Assembly Constituency. The members elected from Lok Sabha constituencies become the members of Lok Sabha. They are called Members of Parliament or MPs. Similarly, the members elected from Assembly Constituencies become the Members of State Legislative Assemblies and they are called Members of Legislative Assembly or MLAs. In both these constituencies, reservation is provided to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. After the enactment of the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, Narishakti Vandana Adiniyam, 33 percent seats in Lok Sabha and Legislative assemblies must be reserved for women. These are called reserved constituencies. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us think about the Voters list. The voters list is the list which contains the names and certain other details of the voters. It is also called the Electoral Roll. The Electoral Roll is prepared by the Election Commission much before the elections. The Electoral Roll is revised every year. At the time of revision, the names of those who have attained the age of 18 are included and the names of the dead are deleted. The Electoral Roll helps the polling officials to identify the voters. At present, four eligibility dates have been fixed for inclusion of names in the roll, namely 1st January, 1st April, 1st July and 1st October. The Electors Photo Identity Cards are issued to all the eligible voters by the Election Commission to prevent impersonation. The Electors Photo Identity Card is also used as proof for general identification. The voter must produce the Electors Photo Identity Card or any of the other identity proofs such as the Permanent Account Number card of the Income Tax department, driving license, Passport or any other proof of identification specified by the government at the time of voting. [CHECKPOINT]
Next, we will learn about the Election Process. The election process begins with the issuance of the Election notification by the Election Commission about the date, time, counting of votes and other details, on its official website as well as in newspapers, mass media like radio and television, and in the gazette published by the government. Since our country has a representative democratic system, the people have the right to contest the elections and elect the people’s representative. Candidates who wish to contest the election must fulfil certain qualifications. Candidates should submit their nomination papers and related documents to the returning officer appointed for that purpose within the stipulated time. A certain amount has to be paid as Security Deposit along with their nomination papers. The political parties choose the candidates to represent the party. The authorization given by the political party to contest in the election is termed as a party ticket. [CHECKPOINT]
The contestants getting the party tickets have the advantages of using the party symbol and the party support in the campaign. Many a time the party ticket proves beneficial to secure a good number of votes from voters who owe allegiance to a political party. The contestants who are not identified with any political party are called independent candidates and have been given a symbol by the election commission from its list of free candidates. Scrutiny of Nomination: After the last date for submission of nomination papers, election officials will verify the nomination paper and other documents. The names of eligible and ineligible candidates to contest the election are published after strict scrutiny of the nomination paper of each candidate and the necessary documents submitted with it. Withdrawal of Nomination papers: After publication of the list of eligible candidates to contest the election, a date will be fixed and announced for candidates to withdraw their nomination if they so desire. If any eligible candidate withdraws his nomination paper, such candidate will not be able to contest the election. [CHECKPOINT]
Election Campaign: The election campaign starts after the announcement of the final list of the candidates. The campaign must end 48 hours before the closure of election. During the campaign, the political parties announce several policies and programmes and promise the people to fulfil those if voted to power. Such kind of promises are given in the Election Manifesto. Public meetings, door to door campaigns, banners, cut outs, posters, pamphlets, flags and catchy slogans are common during propaganda. All the contesting candidates have to follow the Model Code of Conduct announced by the Election Commission. Polling day: Polling day is the day of voting or day of election. On the polling day, the voters go to the assigned polling booths to vote. A polling booth is a place of voting. Trained Polling officials are appointed to manage the polling booths. [CHECKPOINT]
In the polling booths, Ballot papers are provided to the voters to cast their votes. Ballot papers contain the names of the contestants and the election symbols allotted to them. The election symbols help the illiterate masses and also others to identify the candidates. Electronic Voting Machines will be used as an alternative to the current use of ballot papers for voting. The voters record their votes through Electronic Voting Machines by pressing a button in front of the candidates. Ballot papers are used only in Grama Panchayat elections. The ballot boxes or Electronic Voting Machines are sealed after the election and carried to the counting centers. Necessary facilities for voting are provided in the polling booths for the disabled also. The symbols are printed in braille script on the electronic voting machines to make it easier for the visually impaired to vote. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us review some important terms you must know for your exams. First, Returning Officer. An officer is appointed by the election commission to manage the election progress in each constituency. He is called the returning officer. Election staff required to work in polling booths are appointed under this officer. Second, Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail. It is attached to the voting machines. When a voter casts a vote in an Electronic Voting Machine, a slip is printed and shown to the voter for a specified period of time, showing who they have voted for. It assures the voter that his vote has been recorded for the candidate he voted for. Third, None of the Above. The option of None of the Above is being recognised as an important weapon of the electoral system. This voting has the ability to change the administrative system of the country through voting. Voting is everyone’s right and duty, not an option to fulfill one’s voting duty without voting for any candidate. [CHECKPOINT]
Fourth, Mock Poll. Mock polling is the process of ensuring that no votes have been recorded in the electronic voting machine and that the voting machine is working properly before voting officially begins on polling day. Counting of votes: Counting of votes is done at the counting centres by the counting officials in the presence of the candidates and their agents. Counting of votes has become easier and quick with the introduction of Electronic Voting Machines. Under certain special circumstances, recounting is permitted. In case of any disputes, the candidates can approach the Court of Law. The returning officer declares the results at the end of the counting and issues a certificate to the winning candidate. Now let us learn about political parties. Political parties are necessary in the democratic set up. Political parties are the link between representatives, government and the people. They play a major role in formulating policies for social and economic progress. [CHECKPOINT]
Political parties become a training ground to develop leadership qualities. The political party that commands a majority in the lower house, that is Lok Sabha at the center and legislative assembly at the state level, forms the government. The party that forms the government is called the Ruling party. The party that commands the second position is called the opposition party. The minor political parties or independents can support either the ruling party or the opposition on their own. National Political Parties: There are many political parties in India. These political parties are classified into national political parties and regional political parties. National political parties have their branches in many states of our nation. They have a respectable number of representatives in Parliament and also in State Legislatures. National political parties are recognised by the Election Commission of India. Currently there are six National political parties in India. They are Indian National Congress party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), Bharatiya Janata Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, National People’s Party and Aam Aadmi Party. These are national parties with their own symbols. [CHECKPOINT]
Regional Political Parties: Regional political parties are also called state political parties. Political organizations securing a respectable number of seats in the assembly elections are recognized as state parties or regional parties. In many states, the regional parties by virtue of their majority have formed the government. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu, Assam Gana Parishad in Assam, Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh, Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Janata Dal Secular in Karnataka, Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, and Trinamool Congress in West Bengal are a few major regional political parties. Regional political parties have their own election symbols. Regional parties may have representation in the Parliament. Regional parties play an important role in forming the government when the major political parties fail to secure a majority at the center or the states. [CHECKPOINT]
Coalition Government: Many political parties participate in the elections to secure power. If they get the majority they form government. Many a time no party gets the required majority to form the government. Such a situation is called a Hung Parliament or Hung Assembly. In such a situation, some of the political parties join together and make alliances to get the required majority to form the government. Such an alliance is called a Post poll alliance. At certain times, two or more than two parties join together and make an alliance before the elections. This type of alliance is called a Pre poll alliance. Pre poll or Post poll alliance helps political parties to join together to form the government when there is a hung parliament or assembly. Such a government formed with the cooperation of different political parties is called a Coalition Government. The political parties of a Coalition Government share power by joining the Council of Ministers. At certain times they do not share power but support the Coalition Government. This type of support is called outside support. Since 1989, hung parliament or legislative assemblies have become common. Coalition Governments have been formed many times both at the centre and in some of the states. [CHECKPOINT]
Public opinion: Public opinion is a view expressed by common people on a particular issue that concerns them. It is not the opinion of the majority or the politicians. The Government sometimes formulates policies and makes laws based upon the public opinion. The public opinion changes from time to time based on issues. The public must be aware of the issues and must be free to express their opinion without any fear or prejudice. The government and the political parties try to influence the public opinion. Television, Radio, Newspapers, Journals, Websites and such other media help in sharing the public opinion. Media and Democracy: The day to day information about the happenings is provided by the media to the people. It helps people to know about the plans and policies of the Government. It provides information about the functions of the Government. In turn, it helps the Government to know about the views of the people on important issues. Media make representatives accountable and answerable to issues raised by the people. [CHECKPOINT]
The media must provide truthful, fearless, unbiased views. The media on the other hand should not sensationalize the issues. It should present the issues in such a way that the principles of unity, secularism, democracy and harmony are not disturbed. Print media includes newspapers and periodicals. In India, the newspapers and periodicals must be registered with a body called the Press Registrar General of India. In order to improve the standards of newspapers and to protect the freedom of press, a body called the Press Council of India is constituted. The electronic media like television, Internet portals along with radio are active nowadays. These are governed by the Broadcasting Act of 1962. These have become a meaningful platform for exchange of information between the general public, officials and political leaders. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us review some important facts from the Do you know section. First, Karnataka State Election Commission. The Karnataka State Election Commission was established on 26.05.1993 to conduct elections to panchayat raj bodies and urban local bodies of Karnataka in accordance with Articles 243 K and 243 ZA of the constitution in accordance with the 73rd and 74th Amendment Act 1992. It is a constitutional body whose head office is in Bengaluru. Second, National Voters day. National voters day has been celebrated since 2011 on 25th January, the day the election commission of India came into being. Third, SVEEP, which stands for Systematic Voters education and electoral participation. It is a program implemented by the election commission of India in 2009 for systematic voters education and electoral participation. [CHECKPOINT]
Fourth, Abbreviations of Political Parties. INC stands for Indian National Congress. BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. CPIM stands for Communist Party of India (Marxist). BSP stands for Bahujan Samaj Party. AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party. AIADMK stands for All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. DMK stands for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. BRS stands for Bharat Rashtra Samithi. YSRCP stands for Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party. Now let us move to the exercises. I will answer each question completely so you can prepare well for your exams. First, fill up the blanks. Question one. The Election Campaign must end 48 hours before the closure of election. Question two. The recognition to political parties is accorded by the Election Commission of India. Question three. The Independence of Journalism is protected by the Press Council of India. [CHECKPOINT]
Next, we will answer the discussion questions briefly. Question four. Write a note on Electoral Roll. The Electoral Roll, also known as the voters list, contains the names and certain other details of the voters. It is prepared by the Election Commission much before the elections and is revised every year. During revision, names of those who have attained 18 years of age are included, and the names of the deceased are deleted. It helps polling officials identify voters. Currently, four eligibility dates are fixed for inclusion: 1st January, 1st April, 1st July, and 1st October. Question five. What are the steps in the election process? The steps are issuance of election notification, nomination of candidates, scrutiny of nomination papers, withdrawal of nomination papers, election campaign, polling day, and counting of votes. Question six. Political Parties are the link between elected representatives, government and the people. Justify the statement. Political parties connect the public with the government by selecting candidates, formulating social and economic policies, and training future leaders. They represent public interests in the legislature and ensure accountability. [CHECKPOINT]
Question seven. Write a note on Coalition Governments. When no single party secures a majority, resulting in a hung parliament or assembly, parties form pre poll or post poll alliances to secure the required majority. The resulting government, formed with the cooperation of different political parties, is a Coalition Government. Parties share power in the Council of Ministers or provide outside support. This has been common since 1989. Question eight. What are the national political parties currently existing in India? The six national political parties are Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), Bharatiya Janata Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, National People’s Party, and Aam Aadmi Party. Finally, let us look at the activities. Activity one. Organize an essay competition on Elections. You should gather students, set a topic like The Importance of Free and Fair Elections, provide guidelines, set a time limit, and judge essays based on content, structure, and originality. Activity two. Make a list of functions of Election Commission. The functions include conducting elections for President, Vice President, Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, Vidhana Parishat, and Vidhana Sabha, declaring election dates and results, enforcing the Model Code of Conduct, preparing and revising the Electoral Roll, issuing Electors Photo Identity Cards, appointing polling staff, and recognizing political parties. [CHECKPOINT]
Activity three. Discuss None of the Above, its advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include allowing voters to reject all candidates, promoting accountability, and encouraging better candidates. Disadvantages include potentially causing election delays, increasing costs, and not guaranteeing a better outcome if the same candidates contest again. Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]