5 Elections
QUESTION BANK
VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. What do you mean by an election?
Ans. The process through which people elect their representatives through casting their votes in a union, in an office,
in a State or in a Country, is called an election.
2. What is a secret ballot?
Ans. In most of the elections, there is no way of knowing whom a person is voting for. Thus, he can cast his vote
in favour of the candidate of his choice without fear. This is called secret ballot.
3. What is a symbol?
Ans. A symbol is a picture of something through which the voters recognise the concerned party. For example, lotus
is the symbol of Bhartiya Janata Party.
4. What is an election campaign?
Ans. During an election, the candidates try to send their message to the people through various means. This is called
an election campaign.
5. Who is declared successful in an election?
Ans. The candidate who gets the maximum number of votes is declared the winner. He is then issued a certificate
of victory by the District Election Office.
6. What is simple majority?
Ans. In an election, the candidate getting the highest number of votes is elected. This is called a simple majority.
7. What is an Electoral Roll?
Ans. Before every election, the district election office issues a list of registered voters who are entitled to vote in that
election. This is called an Electoral Roll.
8. Who is in charge of a polling booth?
Ans. A polling booth is manned by several government employees under the charge of a Polling Officer.
9. Who controls the elections of the President, Vice President, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and State Assemblies?
Ans. The Election Commission of India.
10. Who controls the elections of the Gram Panchayats, Nagar Palikas and other local bodies?
Ans. State Election Commission.
11. What is meant by mid-term election?
Ans. At times, elections are held before the term of the Lok Sabha or State Assembly is over. This happens when
the Lok Sabha is dissolved and the elections held are known as mid-term elections.
12. What is meant by Direct Election?
Ans. Direct Election is one in which the voters directly choose their representatives to the Legislatures.
13. What is Indirect Election?
Ans. An indirect election is one in which the voters do not directly elect their representative, but elect an intermediate
body which finally proceeds to elect the representatives.
14. Mention one advantage of Direct Election.
Ans. Direct Election stimulates the interest of the people in elections.
15. Mention one advantage of Indirect Election.
Ans. Indirect Election reduces the complexity of the election campaign.
20 ICSE History and Civics – IX
16. Mention any one power of the Election Commission.
Ans. The Election Commission grants recognition to parties for the election purpose.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. What is Direct Democracy? What is its scope?
Ans. When all the adult people assemble at a particular chosen place to decide their affairs themselves, it is called
Direct Democracy.
Direct Democracy is possible only at the mohulla or village level and only occasionally. All the people cannot
meet all the time.
2. What is Representative Democracy?
Ans. Direct Democracy is not possible everywhere and all the time. So at District, State or National level, people elect
their representatives to voice their grievances and get them redressed. This is called representative or indirect
democracy.
3. It is said that “no elections, no democracy”. Comment.
OR
What is the importance of elections in a democracy?
Ans. Elections are the backbone of a Representative Democracy. Without elections, a system can be either a mon-
archy (rule by a king) or a dictatorship. It is in an election that a ruling party gives account of its work to the
people. Hence, democracy is not possible without elections.
4. What is the Universal Adult Franchise?
Ans. Suffrage or franchise means Right to Vote. When this Right is given to all adult citizens above a certain age,
it is called Universal Adult Suffrage or Franchise.
5. What is the age at which voting right is enjoyed by a citizen?
Ans. An Indian citizen can vote in an election at the age of 18 years and above, after registering his/her name with
the nearest election office. In some countries, this qualifying age may be different.
6. What is meant by an Election Manifesto?
Ans. After an election is announced and before the votes are cast, a party issues a printed document to tell the
people about its policies and programmes. This is called an Election Manifesto.
7. Write any three means (or methods) of election campaign.
Ans. In an election campaign, a number of means are simultaneously used to attract the voters. Some of these are
(Choose any three) :
(i) Issuing posters, pamphlets and leaflets
(ii) Holding street corner meetings, mohulla meetings, city or district level meetings that are addressed by
important leaders and candidates too
(iii) Organising processions
(iv) Issuing advertisements in newspapers
(v) Door-to-door canvassing which some people think to be the most important and the most effective method.
8. When does an election campaign stop?
Ans. All election campaigns come to end 48 hours immediately before the polling closes.
9. What is a by-election?
Ans. When a candidate resigns, dies or when he/she is disqualified, re-election takes place in that constituency to
fill up the vacant seat. This is called a by-election.
10. What is a mid-term election?
Ans. Sometimes Lok Sabha or a State Assembly is dissolved before the completion of its tenure of five years. Then
fresh elections are held within six months to constitute another Lok Sabha or Assembly. This is called a mid-
term election (or poll).
ICSE History and Civics – IX 21
STRUCTURED ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS
1. With reference to the beginning of the election process, explain the following :
(a) Notification. (b) Filing of nomination papers (c) Scrutiny of nomination papers
(d) Withdrawal of nomination papers (e) Dummy (or proxy) candidates
Ans. (a) An election process starts when the Election Commission of India issues a notification to this effect after the
President instructs the Commission about it. The notification contains the dates of filing nominations, scrutiny
of nomination papers, withdrawal of paper, actual polling and other such details pertaining to the elections.
(b) On the dates notified by the Election Commission, those willing to contest from a particular Constituency
have to file their nomination papers. In it, they have to give proof that they are Indian Citizen (in case of
Lok Sabha elections) or that they reside in the State concerned (in case of Assembly elections). They have
also to give proof that they have got the “ticket” (authorisation letter) of a particular political party. Proof of
age, social status (whether Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe), etc., are also required. Required Security
Deposit is also submitted. This is called filing a nomination paper. Generally, four days to one week are
given for this purpose.
(c) After the period of filing nomination is over, the District Election Office checks whether a candidates’s papers
are in order or not, and whether all required proofs are submitted or not. If not, the concerned candidate’s
papers are rejected and he or she cannot contest that particular election. (That is why most of the candi-
dates file more than one set of nomination papers.) This is called scrutiny of nomination papers.
(d) Those whose papers are found in order, are given two or three days for withdrawal of nomination papers.
If a candidate is not serious about contesting the election, if he/she has changed his/her mind, if he/she
fails to get his party’s ticket, if he/she has filed nominations for any other Constituency and does not want
to contest in more than one constituency, etc., he/she can withdraw his/her papers and retire from the
contest. Then his/her Security Deposit is also returned.
(e) Generally, a party selects more than one person to file nomination in a Constituency on its behalf. This
is to ensure that if the main candidate’s papers are rejected after scrutiny, someone else should be in a
position to contest on that party’s ticket. All such candidates (except the main candidate) are called dummy
or proxy candidates.
2. What are the comparative advantages and disadvantages of Direct and Indirect Elections?
Ans. The advantages of Direct Election are :
(i) it stimulates the interest of the people in elections.
(ii) the person elected is answerable to the electorate as a whole.
The disadvantages of Direct Election are :
(i) the masses, under the influence of emotions or leaders may reject some one who is suitable.
(ii) direct election does not necessarily give a correct reflection of public opinion because many people do not
caste their vote at all.
The advantages of Indirect Election are :
(i) it reduces the complexity of the election campaign.
(ii) it is suitable for large constituencies.
The disadvantages of Indirect Election are :
(i) it is less democratic. (ii) it may lead to evil practices such as bribery.
3. With reference to the composition of the Election Commission, explain the following :
(a) Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Commissioners.
(b) Their terms of Office and Conditions of service.
Ans. (a) The Chief Election Commissioner and other Commissioners are appointed by the President. The Constitution
empowers the President to appoint the Regional Commissioners to assist the Election Commission in its functions.
(b) The Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner can hold office for a term of six years. If
the Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner has attained the age of 65 years, he shall
vacate office on the date which he attains the said age.
22 ICSE History and Civics – IX
Summary of Annotations