Social Science (Political Science) · CBSE Class 9 · NCERT ‘Understanding Society: India and Beyond’ · Notes, Solutions & 25 Quiz
Chapter 7 — Elections (Notes · Political Science)
Elections are the core of democracy — the means by which citizens choose their representatives and hold them accountable. Regular, periodic, free and fair elections give every citizen an equal voice in forming the government.
The Big Questions
Why are elections essential? How do electoral systems and rules shape representation and fairness? What role do institutions and laws play in free & fair elections? What challenges do elections face?
Why Elections Matter
They ensure equality, representation, accountability and legitimacy. In India, direct elections (every 5 years) choose the Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and local bodies; indirect elections choose the President, Vice-President and Rajya Sabha. (Psephology = the scientific study of elections.)
The Electoral System
An electoral system is the method of converting votes into seats. India uses the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP / plurality) system for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha — the candidate with the most votes wins (even without 50%). Proportional Representation (by single transferable vote) is used for the Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Parishad and the President & Vice-President. Six states (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, UP) have a bicameral legislature (Vidhan Sabha + Vidhan Parishad). (A Majority system needs 50%+ or a second round.)
The Laws
• Representation of the People Act, 1950 — allocation of seats, delimitation of constituencies, preparation/revision of electoral rolls, and the right of every citizen 18+ to vote.
• Representation of the People Act, 1951 — conduct of elections, nomination of candidates, campaigns, voting, post-election disputes, and lists of electoral offences & corrupt practices (e.g., bribery; appealing for votes on grounds of religion/caste/race/community/language; misusing government officials).
• Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952.
Delimitation Commission
Constituency boundaries are NOT fixed — they change with population shifts. Delimitation (mandated by Article 82) fixes the number of seats and territorial boundaries so the seat-to-population ratio is roughly equal. India has had four Delimitation Commissions (1952, 1963, 1973, 2002).
Election Commission of India (ECI)
The ECI is an autonomous, permanent constitutional body (established 25 January 1950; Articles 324–329) with superintendence, direction and control of elections. Its main functions:
• Prepares the electoral roll (via enumerators and Special Intensive Revision/SIR — adding new 18-year-olds, removing deaths/duplicates/shifted voters).
• Decides the schedule & dates (considering weather, harvests, exams, festivals).
• Registers political parties & allots symbols (classifies them as national, state/regional, or registered-unrecognised; acts as a quasi-judicial body in disputes).
• Ensures free & fair, inclusive elections — initiatives for PwDs, senior citizens (85+), transgender persons and PVTGs: EVMs with Braille, voting from home (2024), ETPBS (postal ballots for service voters), and apps like cVIGIL (report code violations), Voter Helpline, Saksham (PwDs), Suvidha, Sugam, ERONET. National Voters’ Day = 25 January.
Political Parties
Political parties organise public opinion, offer voters meaningful choices and help them make informed decisions; the winning party/coalition forms the government and the rest form the opposition. India has a multi-party system. Defection = switching party after being elected on its ticket; the Anti-Defection Law (1985, 52nd Amendment) can disqualify such members (decided by the Speaker/Chairman). The ECI recognises parties as national, state or registered-unrecognised (RUPP) by vote-share/seat criteria. Alliances: the Janata Party (1977, first national coalition), and later the NDA and UPA.
Challenges to free & fair elections: misinformation, fake news, intimidation, money/muscle power, and accessibility issues. The ECI counters these with the RPA 1950/1951, the Model Code of Conduct, EVMs & VVPAT, cVIGIL, and voter-awareness campaigns — plus constant vigilance and active citizen participation.
Key Terms
Direct election = citizens vote for representatives directly; Indirect election = elected reps choose the leader; FPTP = most-votes-wins; Proportional Representation = seats in proportion to votes; Delimitation = fixing seats/boundaries by population; SIR = Special Intensive Revision of rolls; ETPBS = Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System; VVPAT = Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail; Defection = switching parties after election; Psephology = study of elections.
Textbook Solutions — Questions & Activities
Full model answers to the chapter’s ‘Questions and activities’, including the case study, matching and project activities.
1What reforms has the ECI introduced to make voting more inclusive for: (a) PwDs (b) Service Voters (c) Senior Citizens 85+ (d) Prisoners (e) Persons in preventive detention?
(a) PwDs: EVMs with Braille, wheelchairs & ramps at booths, the Saksham app, and voting from home (benchmark disability 40%+, from 2024). (b) Service voters (armed forces, government staff posted away): the ETPBS (Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System) to vote by postal ballot from anywhere. (c) Senior citizens 85+: the facility of voting from home (extended nationwide in 2024). (d) Prisoners: under Section 62(5) of the RPA 1951 they generally cannot vote while in jail (undertrial or convicted), though they may remain on the rolls. (e) Persons in preventive detention: are allowed to vote by postal ballot.
2What are the functions of the ECI? Which is most important for free & fair elections? Explain.
Functions: preparing and revising the electoral roll (SIR); deciding the election schedule; registering parties and allotting symbols; enforcing the Model Code of Conduct; and ensuring free, fair and inclusive elections (security, EVM/VVPAT, accessibility). The most important is arguably ensuring free and fair elections (impartial conduct, accurate counting, equal access), because without fairness the whole process loses credibility and public trust — the other functions all serve this goal. (A reasoned alternative, e.g., an accurate electoral roll, is acceptable if justified.)
3‘Elections are the soul of a democracy.’ Do you agree? Why or why not?
Yes. Elections give every citizen an equal voice in forming the government, make representatives accountable, provide legitimacy, and allow people to change a non-performing government peacefully. Without regular, free and fair elections, there is no real democracy — the people’s power (popular sovereignty) is exercised chiefly through the vote. (One may add that elections alone are not enough — rights, rule of law and participation matter too — but they remain democracy’s soul.)
4Explain at least three differences between national and state/regional parties.
(i) Area of influence: a national party has support/organisation across many states, while a state/regional party is strong mainly in one state or region. (ii) Recognition criteria: national recognition needs vote-share/seats across four or more states (or recognition as a state party in four states), whereas state recognition needs the required vote-share/seats within one state. (iii) Symbol: a national party uses the same reserved symbol all over India; a state party’s symbol is reserved only within its state. (Also: national parties usually address pan-India issues, regional parties focus on local/regional concerns.)
5Why should you vote? Arrange (a)–(d) in your order of preference and give reasons.
Answer will vary — any reasoned order is acceptable. A common ordering: (d) strengthens democracy → (a) opportunity to choose my representative → (c) opportunity to change a non-performing representative → (b) makes me a responsible person. Reasoning: voting is first a duty that keeps democracy alive, then a right to pick and to replace leaders, and finally a mark of responsible citizenship. (Students should justify their own ranking.)
6What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)? Explain its objectives and necessity.
SIR is the ECI’s drive to update, verify and correct the electoral rolls. Objectives/necessity: to add all eligible voters — especially new 18-year-olds who may be left out — and to delete names of those who have died, shifted residence, are duplicated or are permanently untraceable; citizens can raise claims/objections before the final roll is published. It is necessary to keep the roll accurate and up to date so that no eligible citizen is left out and no ineligible person is included — the basis of a fair election.
7Match the political party with its symbol.
This is a matching activity (symbols from the ECI): AAP → broom; BJP → lotus; BSP → elephant; CPI(M) → hammer, sickle and star; INC → hand; NPP → book. (Verify with the ECI website, as reserved symbols can be updated.)
8Case study (Ishani’s first vote): (a) ECI initiatives shown? (b) valid document without Voter ID/Aadhaar? (c) Model Code violations? (d) a title? (e) how police/army vote?
(a) Online voter registration, a wheelchair and volunteers for her disabled brother, identity verified with an alternative document, the VVPAT slip to confirm the vote, well-guarded booths, and voting from home for her 89-year-old grandmother. (b) Any ECI-approved alternative photo ID — e.g., passport, driving licence, PAN card, Aadhaar, MGNREGA job card, pension document or government/bank photo ID. (c) Campaigning (wall writing, posters, slogans, pamphlets) the day before polling — campaigning must stop 48 hours before polling — is a Model Code violation. (d) E.g., ‘My First Vote’ / ‘No Voter to Be Left Behind’. (e) Police and army personnel on duty vote through postal ballots / ETPBS (as service voters).
9Comparative chart of Countries A, B, C: (a) voting right in a multi-party vs single-party system? (b) where would you stay and why?
(a) In a multi-party system (Country A) a vote offers real choice among many parties, so citizens can genuinely select and change their government; in a single-party system (Country B) one can vote but only for one party, so the vote offers no real alternative and little accountability. (b) Answer will vary — most would choose Country A: despite only an average standard of living, it has a written constitution, periodic elections, voting rights and party choice (real democracy and freedom), whereas Country C (monarchy, no vote) and Country B (one party) lack genuine political freedom. (Students justify their choice.)
10What are the challenges to conducting free and fair elections?
Key challenges: misinformation and fake news (especially on social media), voter intimidation, the influence of money and muscle power, bribery and corrupt practices, booth capturing, and accessibility barriers for PwDs, the elderly and remote voters. The ECI tackles these through the RPA 1950/1951, the Model Code of Conduct, EVMs & VVPAT, the cVIGIL app, and voter-awareness campaigns — supported by vigilant, participating citizens.
11-14Activities — role-play, videos, party chart, ‘One Nation One Election’ debate.
These are activities/projects (answers vary): (11) role-play a school election (Election Commissioner, Returning Officer, Polling Agent, Candidate, Campaigner, Polling Officer, Police, Journalist) ensuring a free & fair poll; (12) make videos/audios on ‘My Vote My Nation’, ‘No Voter to Be Left Behind’, curbing money power; (13) prepare a comparative chart of a chosen party’s last two Assembly elections (manifesto promises, vote %, seats, women contested/elected) from ECI/party sources; (14) debate the pros and cons of ‘One Nation, One Election’.