Civics - Chapter 2

Democracy in India

A. Tick the correct option. 1. Which of the following is not related to elections in India?

Ans. Rule of law

2. Franchise means

Ans. Vote

3. The head of the Election commission of India is the

Ans. Chief Election Commissioner

4. Election manifestoes are issued by the

Ans. Political parties

B. Fill in the blanks. 1. One of the principles of democracy is active and equal participation of people in the governance. 2. Universal Adult Franchise is based on the concept- -- one man, one vote, one value. 3. The chief Election commissioner is helped by two Election commissioners. 4. Political parties are identified by their party symbol. 5. Ballet paper and electronic voting machine are used for voting. C. State true or false. 1. Universal Adult Franchise is based on the concept – One man, one vote.( true) 2. Votes of citizens are secured by parties through door-to-door campaigns. ( False) 3. The nomination papers of candidates are scrutinized by party leaders. ( False) 4. The Election commission may accept or reject a candidate's nomination. ( True) 5. Coalition government means rule by the President .( false) D. Short- answer questions. 1. Define Universal Adult Franchise.

Ans. Our country, under the guidance of our constitution grants the right to vote to all eligible Indian citizens. This is called Universal Adult Franchise which is based on the concept ‘one- man, one-vote, one-value. 2. How is the institutional representation of Government a form of democracy?

Ans. In a democratic country like India, the institutional representation of Government should follow the principles of democracy. Active and equal participation of people in the governance, right to vote and right to equality are some of the features of democracy.

3. Who comprise the Election commission?

Ans. The Election commission is an independent body headed by the chief Election commissioner. He/she is helped by two Election commissioners

4. What are political parties?

Ans. A group of people who agree on some policies and formulate an agenda for the collective goodness of society, form a political party.

5. Describe in brief the secret ballot.

Ans. The system of voting that is followed in our country is called the secret ballot. This system ensures that the vote cast by each individual citizen is kept a secret. For this purpose, the place where the voting takes place is enclosed.

E. Long- answer questions. 1. What are elections? When and why are they held?

Ans. An election is a contest between political parties for getting their representatives elected in order to form a government.

In India, elections for lok sabha and state legislature are held every five years. This is done through a process of voting by public.

Elections are held to collect opinion from the public for the formation of a government.

2. Explain the role of the Election commission.

Ans. The role of the Election commission of India is:

 Conducting free , fair and peaceful elections  Announcing the schedule of elections and the code of conduct to be followed by political parties.  Scrutinizing the nomination papers of the people who want to contest in the elections  Ensuring that the voter’s list is prepared in time.

Declaring the results of the elections. 3. How do political parties contest election?

Ans. To contest in the elections for either lok sabha or the legislature Assembly, all political parties are required to be registered with the Election commission. The parties then choose representatives for each constituency to contest election on behalf of the party. These representatives are called candidates. They also should fulfill the eligibility criteria to contest elections.

4. Describe the electoral process.

Ans. The electoral process begins as soon as the Election commission announces the schedule for elections. To contest in the elections for either lok sabha or the legislature assembly, all political parties are required to be registered with the Election commission of India. The parties then choose representatives for each constituency to contest election on behalf of the party. These representatives are called candidates. They also should fulfill the eligibility criteria to contest elections. After the Election commission scrutinized the nomination papers of candidates, they are either accepted or rejected. Each party prepares its own election manifesto.

5. What is the role of opposition parties?

Ans. The opposition questions the ruling party about their policies, programmes and bills. They also raise their voice on the government's failures and lapses. It ensures that the government does not become dictatorial by seizing the rights of citizens.

6. Write a short note on coalition government.

Ans. When no single party gains an absolute majority of seats in the Election, two or three parties come together to form the government. This is called the coalition government. A major disadvantage of the coalition government is that its policies and decisions are entirely dependent on the approval and support of all the parties in the coalition.