Chapter - 2

ELECTION AND REPRESENTATION

Key Points :-
 Types of democracy
 Election system in India
 Elections and democracy
 Proportional representation
 Reservation of constituencies
 Election reform

23 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
 Through the election process, the person who is elected
Representative by the people and sends them to Parliament or Assembly
is called the representative of the people.

Why do we choose a representative?

Due to the huge population and large area, not all citizens can participate directly
while making laws or taking decisions, so people choose representatives.

Direct democracy:- Citizens take direct part in day to day

decisions and running the government (with hands raised)
Example: Ancient Greece, Gram Sabha.
Types of
Democracy
Indirect democracy:- People send their representatives
and participate in government proceedings such as:
India, England

The method by which people elect their

Election
representatives is called election .

Election and Democracy:- Both election and democracy are two sides of a
coin. Democracy without elections is incomplete arid democracy has no
importance without elections.

Election System in India:-

The system of conduct of elections has been described in the constitution of
India. For this, the constitution of the authority (Election Commission) and the
rules have also been described.

XI – Political Science 24

www.acadpills.com
 This system is derived from England in India, in which the whole
country is divided into small geographical units called constituencies.
FPPS
There is one winner from each constituency. The candidate with the
most votes wins.

Proportional Representation :-
Each party issues a priority list of its candidates first in the elections and selects
as many candidates from the priority list as the seats quota is assigned to it. This
system of elections is called a proportional representation system. In this system,
the voter gets the same percentage as the percentage he gets the votes, in this
system, the voters vote to party not the candidate.

There are two types of proportional representation systems – In Israel and the
Netherlands, the whole country is considered a constituency and each party is

25 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
given seats in proportion to the votes received in national elections. Secondly
in Argentina and Portugal the whole country is multi- Are divided into member
constituencies.

Why was the ‘First Past the Post System’ accepted in India?
1. The system is simple
2. Voters have clear choice at the time of election.
3. This system is suitable for a country with a large population like India.
4. Voters know the candidate personally, this opportunity is not available
in other system.

Reservation of Constituencies :-
In an effort to give equal representation to all classes in the Parliament or State
Legislative Assembly by the Constitution of India, reservation has been made in
the constituencies. In this system, voters of all classes will vote but the candidate
will belong only to the social class whose reservation was arranged. Initially
this arrangement was only for 10 years but now it has been extended to 2030.

Out of 543 Lok Sabha seats, 84 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 47 for
Scheduled Tribes.
Reservation of constituencies is based on the recommendations of the
Delimitation Commission which is formed by president.

The right to vote in the democratic elections

Universal to all citizens of the country above 18 years
Adult
Franchise without discrimination on the basis of religion,
caste, sex.

Two-thirds majority of the members present

Special
Majority and voting and a simple majority of the
total members of the house.

XI – Political Science 26

www.acadpills.com
Election Reform :-
No system of election can ever be an ideal system. Every system has some
shortcomings. The democratic society has to constantly make efforts to make
its elections more fair and independent.
This is called election reform such as – In India Ban people with criminal roles
from contesting elections.

Purchase of votes

Excessive expenditure
of money Spread communalism

Election system faults

Vote in the name of

Make popular promises violence, caste, religion
Increased involvement
of criminals

QUESTIONNAIRE
MCQ
1. Proportional representation is applied in which election in India?
(i) Lok Sabha election
(ii) Rajya Sabha Election
(iii) State legislative assemblies
(iv) Local bodies election
2. Who appoints chief election commissioner of India?
(i) Prime minister
(ii) Lok Sabha

27 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
 (iii) Rajya Sabha
(iv) President
3. Who ensures free and fair election in India?
(i) Supreme court
(ii) High Court
(iii) Election Commission of India
(iv) Parliament
4. Right to vote is a
(i) Legal Right
(ii) Fundamental Right
(iii) Constitutional Right
(iv) Statutory Right
5. Election disputes can be challenged in?
(i) Parliament
(ii) Election Commission
(iii) President
(iv) High Courts
Assertion and reason questions 1.
Assertion (A): Election Commissioner works without any pressure
Reason (R): Election Commissioner can only be removed by parliament from
their post
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true, but R is false.
(D) A is false, but R is true.

XI – Political Science 28

www.acadpills.com
2. Assertion (A): People of India directly choose their prime minister Reason
(R): India prime minister is appointed by president of India
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true, but R is false.
(D) A is false, but R is true.
One Mark Questions
1. What does direct democracy mean?
2. What is meant by indirect democracy?
3. What is an election?
4. What are voters called?
5. Who prepares the voter lists?

Fill the empty space in question number 6 to 10

6. It is the responsibility of _________ to conduct free and fair elections.
7. When elections are held after 5 years, it is called __________ .
8. Every person above the age of 18 when they vote is called __________.
9. The minimum age to contest Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly
is__________ .
10. __________ has been established in India by Article 324 (1).

Identify the correct or incorrect sentences in question number 11 to 15

11. Proportional system is also called pluralistic system.
12. In the electoral college system, people of the same community vote for
the candidate whose candidate stands in the election.

29 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
13. The boundary delimitation of constituencies in elections determines the
commission.
14. Prime Minister appoints Election Commission in India.
15. Proportionar representation system has been adopted in Rajya Sabha
elections in India.

Question number 16 to 20 are multiple choice

16. The example ot direct democracy in India is
(a) Assembly
(b) Parliament
(c) Gram Sabha
(d) Municipal Corporation
17. In which of the following countries is the proportional representation
adopted
(a) India
(b) England
(c) America
(d) Israel
18. How many seats are reserved in Lok Sabha?
(a) 131
(b) 84
(c) 47
(d) 125
19. When was the age of voting reduced from 21 to 18 years?
(a) 1984
(b) 1989
(c) 1991
(d) 1995
XI – Political Science 30

www.acadpills.com
20. On what basis are the eligibility to contest elections in India?
(a) Age
(b) Income
(c) Gender
(d) Education
Answer questions 21 to 25 in 20 words
21. Who was the first Election Commissioner of India?
22. What does special majority mean?
23. Who allot election symbols to political parties?
24. Which election system is adopted in Rajya Sabha elections?
25. Who is the current Chief Election Commissioner in India?

Two Marks Questions

1. Write two differences between direct and indirect democracy.
2. What does the first past the post system mean?
3. What is a proportional representation system?
4. What is a secret ballot system?
5. What do you understand by reserved constituencies?
6. What are the two elements of the success of an election system?
7. Explain Delimitation Commission in brief.
8. Write the demerits of Indian Election System?

Four Marks Questions

1. Write four differences between ‘first past the post system’ and ‘proportional
representation election system.
2. Write the four importance of universal sufferage / adult sufferage.

31 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
3. Describe the four main functions of the Election Commission of India.
4. Explain democracy in the ancient Greek city state.
5. What qualifications have been set in the constitution to become members
of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha?
6. Write a comment on the importance of elections in democracy?
7. Explain the difference between a separate electorate and a reserved
constituency.

Five Marks Questions

Watch the following cartoon carefully and answer the questions asked.

XI – Political Science 32

www.acadpills.com
 (i) What problem does the elephant appear to indicate in the cartoon?

(ii) Which point is the pulling of the elephant’s tail?

(iii) Name the leader who pulled the tail of the elephant.

(iv) What do you understand by adult franchise?

Six Marks Questions

1. Describe any 6 suggestions to improve the Indian election system.
2. Explain the sele'ction process of the Chief Election Commissioner of India
and describe its major functions.
3. Explain the various stages of India’s election process.
4. Highlight the salient features of India’s election system.
5. Electionrand democracy are two sides of a coin explaining this statement
also explain the importance of elections in democracy.

ANSWERS
MCQ
1. (ii) Rajya Sabha Election
2. (iv) President
3. (iii) Election Commission of India
4. (iii) Constitution Right
5. (iv) High Court
Assertion and reason-based answer
1. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
2. A is false, but are is true.

33 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
One Mark Answers
1. A governance system in which citizens directly participate in government
decisions.
2. A governance system in which citizens send their representatives and they
decide in the name of the public.
3. The method by which the public selects their representatives is called
election or election.
4. Persons above 18 years of age who vote in elections.
5. Election commission
6. Election Commission
7. General Election
8. Universal Adult Franchise
9. 25
10. Election Commission
11. Incorrect
12. Right
13. Correct
14. Incorrect
15. Right
16. Gram Sabha
17. Israel
18. 131
19. 1989
20. Age
21. Rajeev Kumar

XI – Political Science 34

www.acadpills.com
22. Majority of the total number and two-thirds majority of the members
present and voting.
23. Election Commission
24. Proportional Representation System
25. Sunil Arora

Two Marks Answers

1. In direct democracy, the public participates directly in governance, while
in indirect elections, the representatives chosen by the public take part, in
direct democracy, every person demands himself as the ruler, while in the
indirect, the people’s representative considers himself as the ruler.
2. This system means that the candidate who gets ahead of other candidates in
the electoral race is the victor.
3. In this system, a party gets the same proportion of seats, how many percent
it gets votes, there are two types of it, such as somewhere the entire country
is considered to be a single constituency, on which the whole country is
divided into many member constituencies.
4. In the indirect democracy system, the system of conducting the election
of the representatives is of secret voting in which no one except the voter
knows who has been voted.
5. The constitution provides that in order to ensure the presence of minorities
or lower class people’s representatives also reached the Parliament,
Delimitation Commission periodically makes reserved seats for deprived
sections, it is called reserved constituency.
6. Transparent elections, independent elections.
7. Delimitation Commission workes with the Election Commission of India,
which determines the bounda ries of the constituency for election.
8. See the answer from the main points.

35 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
Four Marks Answers
1. FPTP :- Divides the country into small constituencies. One representative
is elected from each constituency. The voter votes for the candidate. The
candidate knows the candidate personally.
Proportional representation is one constituency of the entire country. In
more than one is elected. The voter votes for the party. This voter votes in
secret to the party so the candidate does not know.

2.  Universal franchise enforces the principle of public sovereignty

 This is in line with democratic principle
 Necessary for personal development
 It brings politics awareness

3. Preparation of voter list

 To decide the method of election
 To conduct election inspection
 Release of election results
4. The people of the entire city state would gather in an open space and choose
their representative by raising their hands and used to get the approval of
the public directly by taking up the daily government decision, it is called
direct democracy system.

5. Should be a citizen of India

 25 years of age should not be in the post of benefit
 should not be insolvent
 Not of criminal offense

6. Election has great importance in democracy. Election democracy is two

sides of a coin. Today there is democracy in more than 100 countries in
the world, where there is democracy, the election system is adopted to
elect the people’s representatives.

XI – Political Science 36

www.acadpills.com
7. In the election of a representative of a community in a separate electorate,
only people belonging to the same community can vote, all the voters in
the reserved constituency will vote but the candidate will belong only to
the community for which that seat is reserved.

Five Marks Answers

1. (a) Successful voting in first general election by controlling inexperienced
voters
(b) Attempt to prepare uncontrolled voters to vote in elections
(c) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
(d) To give the right to vote without discrimination to all citizens who are
18 years of age

Six Marks Answers

1. Election Reforms: -
(i) Replace proportional representation system in place of highest win
system
(ii) Election of women on one-third of seats in parliamentary and
assembly
(iii) Controlling the influence of money in elections
(iv) Candidate secret of criminal case
(v) Use of caste ahd religion should be banned in election campaigning
(vi) There should be transparency and democracy in political parties

2. Appointment of the, Chief Election Commission. The salary by the

President till the age of 6 years or 65 years is the same as the Judge of the
Supreme Court.
Work:-
(i) Preparation of voter list
(ii) Setting election schedule

37 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
 (iii) To conduct free and fair elections
(iv) Recognizing both parties as national one state party
(v) Monitoring the election
(vi) Getting the President elected Vice President

3. Election process :-
 Issue of notification by the Election Commission
 Date of withdrawal of application date of election
 Monitoring of election campaign and election campaign
 Make elections free and fair on the date
 Counting
 Declaring election results
 Appointment of election officials
 Establishment of polling stations

4. Features of election system

India has adopted the system of winning by most votes. Its characteristics
are :-
 This is simple
 In this, the representatives are accountable to the public.
 Every contact of voter and representative is there
 The system is basad on the principle of regional representation
democracy
 It costs money
 National unity is strengthened by this system.

5. Importance of elections in democracy

 Delegates ensure public participation in government by winning
elections

XI – Political Science 38

www.acadpills.com
 Elected representative will work according to the district
 This system increases public confidence
 Proper representation is necessary in a democracy which is possible
only through elections.
 Protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens is only by fair
representation.
 National unity is strengthened by appropriate representatives.

39 XI – Political Science

www.acadpills.com
 CLICK ON IMAGE TO
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

US ON TELEGRAM