NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science Political Science Chapter 3 Electoral Politics
Class 9 Social Science Political Science Chapter 3, Electoral Politics, help students understand the key concepts of elections in a democracy. This chapter explains how elections are conducted in India, the importance of voting, and how political parties and candidates play a role in the election process. It also covers the significance of secret ballots and the role of the Election Commission in ensuring free and fair elections.
The NCERT Solutions for the this chapter provide students with clear answers to textbook questions with clarity and so they can easily learn about elections, voting, and democracy. These solutions adheres to the updated syllabus and CBSE guidelines and are effective in ensuring better understanding of the chapter.
1.0Download NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3 Electoral Politics : Free PDF
Electoral Polictics deals with elections in a democracy. It explores how elections are conducted in India, role of political candidates and parties and many other aspects of elections. Students can download the free PDF of the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3 Electoral Politics from the link below:
2.0Important Concepts Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3 Electoral Politics: Brief Explanation
Chapter 3 Electoral Politics from Class 9 Social Science introduces students to the electoral process in a democracy, explaining how elections are conducted and why they are important for political participation and representation. The key concepts included are:
- Meaning of Elections: Elections are a process by which people choose their representatives through voting. They are fundamental to democracy.
- Importance of Elections: Elections provide legitimacy to the government and give citizens a voice in decision-making.
- Universal Adult Franchise: All adult citizens have the right to vote regardless of caste, religion, gender, or economic status.
- Election Process: Includes the preparation of electoral rolls, nomination of candidates, campaigning, polling, and counting of votes.
- Role of the Election Commission: The Election Commission of India conducts and supervises free and fair elections.
- Political Parties and Candidates: Multiple parties and independent candidates contest elections, offering choices to voters.
- Challenges in Elections: Issues like electoral malpractices, money power, and muscle power sometimes affect the fairness of elections.
- Importance of Voting: Voting is a citizen’s duty and the foundation of democracy.
3.0NCERT Class 9 Social Science Political Science Chapter 3: Detailed Solutions
1. Which of the following statements about the reasons for conducting elections are false?
(a) Elections enable people to judge the performance of the government.
(b) People select the representative of their choice in an election.
(c) Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.
(d) People can indicate which policies they prefer.
Ans. (c) Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.
2. Which of these is not a good reason to say that Indian elections are democratic?
(a) India has the largest number of voters in the world.
(b) India's Election Commission is very powerful.
(c) In India, the losing parties accept the electoral verdict.
Ans. (a) India has the largest number of voters in the world.
3. Match the following:
Ans. (A)-(iv), (B)-(i), (C)-(ii), (D)-(iii)
4. List all the different election related activities mentioned in the chapter and arrange them in a time sequence, beginning with the first activity and ending with the last. Some of these activities are given below: releasing election manifestos; counting of votes ; making of voters list; election campaign; declaration of election results ; casting of votes; ordering of re-poll; announcing election schedule; filing nomination.
Ans.
- 1st step: Making of voters list
- 2nd step: Announcing election schedule
- 3rd step: Division of areas into constituencies
- 4th step: Filing of nominations
- 5th step: Parties present their manifestoes
- 6th step: Election campaign
- 7th step: Polling day: casting of votes
- 8th step: Ordering Repoll
- 9th step: Counting-declaration of election results.
5. Surekha is an officer in charge of ensuring free and fair elections in an assembly constituency in a state. Describe what should she focus on for each of the following stages of election:
(a) Election campaign
(b) Polling day
(c) Counting day
Ans.
(a) Election campaign: Surekha should ensure that following unfair means are not used in the campaign by the parties:
- Misusing government vehicles, machinery or resources.
- Using any place of worship for election campaign.
- Spending more than the expenditure limit allowed for an election campaign in a constituency.
- Appeal in the name of religion or caste
- Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of any projects, take any big policy decisions or make any promises of providing public facilities once elections are announced. In short, to see that 'Code of conduct' is not violated.
(b) Polling day: There is no campaigning done. All campaigning should stop 36 hours before actual polling starts. No bribing or buying of voters. No rigging. Only voters in the voters list allowed to vote. Identities should be checked. Every voter votes only once, mark is put on the finger. Fair voting is done in the presence of an agent of the candidates.
(c) Counting day: They should ensure that all EVMs are sealed. All EVMs are opened on the same day in a constituency. Agents of all candidates are present when counting is done. Results declared as soon counting is done.
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?
Ans. Blacks and Hispanics should be given reservation in the US Congress as per their percentage in the US population.
7. Can we draw the following conclusions from the information given in this chapter? Give two facts to support your position for each of these.
(a) Election commission of India does not have enough powers to conduct free and fair elections in the country.
(b) There is a high level of popular participation in the elections in our country.
(c) It is very easy for the party in power to win an election.
(d) Many reforms are needed to make our elections completely free and fair.
Ans.
(a) No, this is untrue.
- EC can order a repoll in case unfair means are used in elections.
- It can punish if a party or a candidate violates the code of conduct for elections.
(b) Yes
- In India, unlike USA, it is the illiterate, the uneducated and the underprivileged people who participate more in elections.
- The number of people whose vote has gone up over the years, which proves the popularity of elections.
(c) No
- No, the 'Code of conduct' for elections prohibits the misuse of power and government machinery by the ruling party.
- If the ruling party fails to fulfil people's expectations, it is voted out as it has been proved in India many times.
(d) Yes, there are some reforms needed
- Candidates with criminal connections have won elections. This should not have happened.
- Some families tend to dominate elections. Tickets are distributed to relatives from these families.
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?
Ans. No, they don't. Anyone convicted of a crime is not allowed to stand for elections, so Chinappa was debarred. Satbir was also guilty of breaking a law by practising untouchability. So, he was also debarred.
9. Here are some reports of electoral malpractices from different parts of the world. Is there anything that these countries can learn from India to improve their elections? What would you suggest in each case?
(a) During an election in Nigeria, the officer in charge of counting votes deliberately increased the votes of one candidate and declared him elected. The court later found out that more than five lakh votes cast for one candidate were counted in favour of another.
(b) Just before elections in Fiji, a pamphlet was distributed warning voters that a vote for former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, will lead to bloodshed. This was a threat to the voters of Indian origin.
(c) In the US, each state has its own method of voting, its own procedure of counting and its own authority for conducting elections. Authorities in the state of Florida took many controversial decisions that favoured Mr. Bush in the presidential elections in 2000. But no one could change those decisions.
Ans. Nigeria, Fiji and US can follow the Indian example of having a powerful Election commission which is independent of the government. They should also have a "Code of conduct" for elections which would stop rigging of votes and parties threatening the voters as they did in Nigeria and Fiji. "The Code of Conduct" should apply to the whole country and different states should not have different rules as in the case of Florida, USA.
10. Here are some reports of malpractices in Indian elections. Identify what the problem in each case is. What should be done to correct the situation?
(a) Following the announcement of elections, the minister promised to provide financial aid to reopen the closed sugar mill.
(b) Opposition parties alleged that their statements and campaign was not given due attention on doordarshan and All India Radio.
(c) An inquiry by the election commission showed that electoral rolls of a state contain name of 20 lakh fake voters.
(d) The hoodlums of a political party were moving with guns, physically preventing supporters of other political parties to meet the voters and attacking meetings of other parties.
Ans.
(a) The problem in the first case was to gain some popular votes for the ruling party by making promises after the announcement of elections. This should not have been allowed.
(b) In the second, opposition parties were not given the same time to air their views and campaign for elections by the media TV and Radio. More time was granted to the ruling party. Each party should have the same access to media and given equal importance by it.
(c) Fake voters list should be condemned, a new census taken, a new electoral voters list prepared by impartial agents
(d) They should have been arrested and punished. This is use of force in favour of a party and breaks the 'Code of conduct' for elections.
11. Ramesh was not in class when this chapter was being taught. He came the next day and repeated what he had heard from his father. Can you tell Ramesh what is wrong with these statements?
(a) Women always vote the way men tell them to. So, what is the point of giving them the right to vote?
(b) Party politics creates tension in society. Elections should be decided by consensus not by competition.
(c) Only graduates should be allowed to stand as candidates for elections.
Ans.
(a) The statement is wrong because the policy of secret ballot ensures that an individual can vote for whoever he/she wants. Women are fully capable of taking decisions on their own and selecting the candidate they like.
(b) Competition works as both deterrent and motivator for the political candidates. Fear of losing the election and motivation for winning the elections works in favour of people.
(c) Educational qualification is not required to understand the people's needs, and to represent their interests. Therefore, it is not necessary for politicians to be graduates.
4.0Key Features and Benefits of Class 9 Social Science Chapter 3 Electoral Politics
- Understanding Elections: This chapter explains how elections are conducted in a democracy and why they are important for choosing leaders.
- Role of Political Parties: Students learn about the function of political parties during elections and how they help voters make choices.
- Election Process Simplified: The chapter breaks down the election process step-by-step, including voting, counting, and declaring results.
- Challenges in Elections: It discusses issues like electoral malpractices, the role of money and media, and how these affect fair elections.
- Importance of Voting: Emphasizes why every vote counts and encourages students to participate actively in democracy.
- Use of Real-Life Examples: Examples from India’s election system make it easier for students to understand complex concepts.