Class 9 Social Science — Chapter 3: ELECTORAL POLITICS

What you'll learn

• ▸Necessity of Elections in Representative Democracy
• ▸Minimum Conditions for a Democratic Election
• ▸Political Competition in Elections
• ▸Choices Available to Voters
• ▸Case Study: 1987 Haryana Assembly Election

Chapter Summary

--- PAGE 1 --- 0972CH03 CHAPTER 3 ELECTORAL POLITICS OVERVIEW In Chapter 1 we have 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 t…

Practice Questions from this Chapter

Tap "Get Solution" on any question to ask our AI tutor.

1. Explain different voting systems simply. Get Solution →
2. Compare direct and representative democracy. Get Solution →
3. Find the history of election symbols. Get Solution →
4. According to the text, what is a 'general election'? Get Solution →
5. How many Lok Sabha constituencies is India divided into for election purposes? Get Solution →
6. What does the abbreviation 'MLA' stand for? Get Solution →
7. What was the name of the movement led by Chaudhary Devi Lal in Haryana? Get Solution →
8. An election held to fill a vacancy caused by the death or resignation of a member is called a: Get Solution →

Did you know?

• 💡 The earliest known use of voting was over 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece.
• 💡 India's general elections involve more voters than the entire population of many countries combined.
• 💡 Some countries fine citizens for not voting, making their participation compulsory.
• 💡 The ink used on voters' fingers contains silver nitrate, making it permanent for days.
• 💡 Before paper ballots, ancient Romans voted by dropping marked clay tablets into jars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Chapters