NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Civics

Chapter 3 - Electoral Politics

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.
Answer.
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, everyone above the age of 18 has a right to vote.
d. In India, the losing parties accept the electoral verdict.
Answer.
a. India has the largest number of voters in the world.

3. Match the following :

It is necessary to keep the voters list up There is a fair representation of all sections
to date because of our society

Some constituencies are reserved for Everyone has equal opportunity to elect
SCs and STs so that their representative

Everyone has one and only one vote so All candidates must have a fair chance of
that competing in elections

Party in power is not allowed to use Some people may have moved away from
government vehicles because the area where they voted last

Answer.

It is necessary to keep the voters list up to Some people may have moved away from the
date because area where they voted last

Some constituencies are reserved for SCs There is a fair representation of all
and STs so that sections of our society

Everyone has one and only one vote so Everyone has equal opportunity to elect their
that representative

Party in power is not allowed to use All candidates must have a fair chance of
government vehicles because competing in elections

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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

Answer.
1. Making of Voters’ List
2. Announcing Election Schedule
3. Releasing Election Manifesto
4. Election Campaign
5. Filing Nomination
6. Casting of Votes
7. Ordering of Re-poll
8. Counting of Votes
9. 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
Answer.
a. Election Campaign
i. Check law and order
ii. Keep a check on muscle and money power
iii. Keep a check on expenditure limit of a candidate
iv. To ensure no promotion on the grounds of religion, caste or sex.
b. Polling Day
i. Check the voters’ list
ii. Check on voters’ id
iii. Tab on booth capturing
iv. Ensure free and fair elections
c. Counting Day
i. Keep a fair counting practice
ii. Tab on rigging of votes

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

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 NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Civics
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?

Communities Proportion of the Community (in percent) in the

House of representatives Population of US

Blacks 8 13

Hispanics 5 13

Whites 86 70

Answer.
Yes, the system of reservation should be present in the US Congress for Hispanics and Blacks. Their
representation in the US Congress is comparatively lower than Whites which are the majority in the
US.

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.
Answer.
Answer.
a. No. The given conclusion for the Election Commission cannot be drawn because:
i. Election Commission released the code of conduct for elections and has power to punish
whoever violates them.
ii. During elections, the election-incharge work under Election Commission of India and not
government.
b. Yes, the given conclusion can be drawn because:
i. Voters-turnout has soared in the past few years
ii. There has been an increase in people's participation in election-related activities
c. No, it is not a right conclusion
i. The ruling party in one election loses the power in the next
ii. Despite a lot of expenditure in the election campaign, candidates lose
d. Yes, the conclusion is fair because:
i. Reforms will make it easier for small parties to face no major challenge in fighting an election
ii. To stop candidates’ facing criminal charges from running an election

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?
Answer.

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 NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Civics
No. The decision to not allow both Chinappa and Satbir for their crime they committed to not contest
elections is totally fair. According to the elections’ rule, no criminal can participate in elections. Hence, it
is a fair verdict.

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 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.
Answer.
a. On the vote-counting day, the representatives of each party has contested in the election should
be present. Nigeria should follow this rule of the election that is practised in India.
b. In Fiji, the election commission should set up a enquiry-committee and the party or the
candidate who was involved in this negative propaganda should be debarred from the election.
c. The US should have one Election Commission who can make rules for states for the election.

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 in 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.
Answer.
a. As per the code of conduct that a candidate has to obey during the election period is to not
announce any promises. Hence, in this case the Election Commission should take this up with the
minister.
b. Election Commission should ensure free and fair representation to all parties in the government-
owned media.
c. Election Commission should announce re-elections as the presence of fake votes show the
vote-rigging.
d. Election Commission should ban the party as use of muscle power and money power is totally
illegal.
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?

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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.

Answer.
a. In elections, secret-ballot system is used where any individual can vote for the party he/she
likes. Hence, women can also use their discretion and cast a vote as per their wish.
b. Competition is important for any profession as it motivates one to be better. Competition in
elections ensure candidates working hard for the society, hence, it should be encouraged.
c. Educational qualification is not the only factor for a candidate to understand social needs of the
people. Hence, it should be fair if someone is not a gradute to run for an election.

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