ELECTORAL POLITICS
WHAT MAKES ELECTION IN INDIA DEMOCRATIC??!!
GROUP:2
What Makes Elections in India
Democratic??
• We get to read a lot about unfair practices in elections.
Newspapers and television reports often refer to such
allegations. Most of these reports are about the following:
• Inclusion of false names and exclusion of genuine names in the
voters’ list;
• Misuse of government facilities and officials by the ruling party;
• Excessive use of money by rich candidates and big parties; and
• Intimidation of voters and rigging on the polling day.
• Many of these reports are correct. We feel unhappy when we
read or see such reports.
Questions???!!!
• This becomes clear if we ask a basic question:
Can a party win an election and come to power not
because it has popular support but through electoral
malpractices?
{Malpractices refer to unethical or illegal behaviors, often occurring in professional
settings. These actions can involve dishonesty, fraud, or misconduct, leading to harm or
disadvantage for individuals or organizations.}
Independent Election Commission
• What do you know by the term Independent of the
Government??!!
The situation is positive in our country because elections are
managed by a strong and independent Election Commission (EC).
This group ensures elections are fair and honest by handling voter
registration, organizing the voting process, and counting the votes
without outside influence.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the
President of India, but once in the role, the CEC is independent and
not answerable to the President or the government.
Powers of Election Commission of
India.
• EC takes decisions on every aspect of conduct and control
of elections from the announcement of elections to the
declaration of results.
• It implements the Code of Conduct and punishes any
candidate or party that violates it.
• During the election period, the EC can order the
government to follow some guidelines, to prevent use and
misuse of governmental power to enhance its chances to
win elections, or to transfer some government officials
• When on election duty, government officers work under the
control of the EC and not the government.
Popular Participation
• Another way to check the quality of the election process
is to see whether people participate in it with
enthusiasm.
• If the election process is not free or fair, people will not
continue to participate in the exercise.
1Voter Turnout in India and the UK
• People’s participation in election is usually measured by voter turnout
figures.
• Turnout indicates the per cent of eligible voters who actually cast
their vote.
• Over the last fifty years, the turnout in Europe and North America has
declined. In India the turnout has either remained stable or actually
gone up.
2Voter Turnout in India and us by
Social Groups
• In India the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people
vote in larger proportion as compared to the rich and
privileged sections.
• This is in contrast to western democracies.
• For example in the United States of America, poor
people, African Americans and Hispanics vote much less
than the rich and the white people.
3Do You Think Your Vote Make A
Difference?!!
• Common people in India attach a lot of importance to
elections.
• They feel that through elections they can bring
pressure on political parties to adopt policies and
programmes favourable to them.
• They also feel that their vote matters in the way things
are run in the country.
4Those Who Participated in any
Election Related Activity in India.
• The interest of voters in election related activities has
been increasing over the years.
• During the 2004 elections, more than one third voters
took part in a campaign-related activities.
• More than half of the people identified themselves as
being close to one or the other political party. One out of
every seven voters is a member of a political party.
Acceptance of Election Outcome
• When elections aren't fair, they help those in power stay there. Losing parties might
not accept the results, causing distrust and protests. In India, this shows bigger
problems with how elections are run:
• In India, ruling parties often lose elections at both national and state levels. In fact,
in two out of three elections over the past 25 years, the ruling party has not won.
• In contrast, in the US, sitting elected officials rarely lose. In India, about half of
current MPs and MLAs do lose.
• Candidates who are known to spend a lot of money to buy votes or have criminal
ties often face defeat.
• Most of the time, losing parties accept the election results as the will of the people,
except for a few disputed cases.
What Do You Understand By The
Picture!!!
Challenges to Free and Fair
• elections in India are basically free and fair. The party
that wins an election and forms government does so
because people have chosen it over its rivals.
• Some candidates might win using money and unfair
tactics, but overall, general election results usually
reflect the people's preferences. There have been very
few exceptions to this in the last 60 years, which is what
makes Indian elections democratic.
Challenges To Free And Fair Election
• Candidates and parties with a lot of money have an unfair advantage over
smaller parties and independent candidates, making it harder for them to
win. In some areas, candidates with criminal backgrounds can push others
out of the race and secure nominations from major parties.
• Certain families often dominate political parties, with tickets going to their
relatives. This limits choices for voters since major parties usually have
similar policies and practices. Smaller parties and independents face
significant challenges compared to larger parties.
• These issues aren’t just in India; they exist in many democracies, raising
concerns for those who care about democracy. That's why citizens, activists,
and organizations are calling for reforms in the electoral system.
Activity !!!!!
• Answer the questions given below and score your
points!!!!!
1. Free and fair elections are ensured by the ???
2.What is the full form of CEC???
3.Who can order the government to follow some
guidelines??
4.How many voter took part in the 2004 election?
Answers!!
1. Election commission
2. Chief Election Commissioner
3. The EC
4. One third
