Electoral Politics

The most common form of democracy in our times is for the people to govern through their
representatives.

Elections take place regularly in any democracy.

But why do we need elections?

Imagine a democracy without elections.

a) A rule of the people is possible without any elections if all the people can sit together
every day and take all the decisions.
b) We know that this is not possible in any large community.
c) It is not possible for everyone to have the time and knowledge to take decisions on all
matters.
⮚ Therefore in most democracies people rule through their
representatives.
ELECTION - A mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular
intervals and change them if they wish to do so.

In an election the voters make many choices:

a) They can choose who will make laws for them.

b) They can choose who will form the government and take major decisions.
c) They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law making.

Elections can be held in many ways. All democratic countries hold elections. But most non-
democratic countries also hold some kind of elections.

What makes an election democratic?

a) Everyone should be able to choose. This means that everyone should have one vote and
every vote should have equal value.
b) There should be something to choose from. Parties and candidates should be free to
contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters.
c) The choice should be offered at regular intervals. Elections must be held regularly after
every few years.
d) The candidate preferred by the people should get elected.
e) Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can choose as
they really wish.

Elections are all about political competition.

An electoral competition has many demerits.

a) It creates a sense of disunity and ‘factionalism’ in every locality.

b) Different political parties and leaders often level allegations against one another.
c) Parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections.
d) Some people say that this pressure to win electoral fights does not allow sensible long-
term policies to be formulated.
e) Some good people who may wish to serve the country do not enter this arena. They do
not like the idea of being dragged into unhealthy competition.

Our Constitution makers were aware of the problems due to electoral competition, yet they
opted for free competition in elections as the way to select our future leaders. WHY?

a) The system works better in the long run.

b) Political leaders know what is good for the people and are motivated only by a desire to
serve them.
c) Political leaders are motivated by a desire to advance their political careers. They want to
remain in power or get power and positions for themselves.
d) Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and leaders.
e) They know that if they raise issues that people want to be raised, their popularity and
chances of victory will increase in the next elections. But if they fail to satisfy the voters
with their work they will not be able to win again.
f) Political competition may cause divisions and some ugliness, but it finally helps to force
political parties and leaders to serve the people .

WHAT IS OUR SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS?

In India Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) elections are held regularly after every five
years.

General Election By- election

Elections are held in all constituencies at Sometimes election is held only for one
the same time, either on the same day or constituency to fill the vacancy caused by
within a few days. This is called a general death or resignation of a member. This is
election. called a by-election.

Electoral constituencies - The country is divided into different areas for purposes of
elections. These areas are called electoral constituencies.

For Lok Sabha elections, the country is divided into 543 constituencies. The representative
elected from each constituency is called a Member of Parliament or an MP.

Each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies. In this case, the
elected representative is called the Member of Legislative Assembly or an MLA.

Reserved Constituencies

Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes [SC] and
Scheduled Tribes [ST]. In a SC reserved constituency only someone who belongs to the
Scheduled Castes can stand for election. Similarly only those belonging to the Scheduled
Tribes can contest an election from a constituency reserved for ST.

Rationale behind Reserved Constituency

a) The Constitution makers were worried that in an open electoral competition, certain
weaker sections may not stand a good chance to get elected to the Lok Sabha and the
state Legislative Assemblies.
b) They may not have the required resources, education and contacts to contest and win
elections against others.
c) Those who are influential and resourceful may prevent them from winning elections.
d) If that happens, our Parliament and Assemblies would be deprived of the voice of a
significant section of our population.
e) That would make our democracy less representative and less democratic.

So, the makers of our Constitution thought of a special system of reserved constituencies
for the weaker sections.
Currently, in the Lok Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the
Scheduled Tribes (as on 1 September 2012).

CASE STUDY OF HARYANA

a) Haryana had been ruled by a Congress party led government since 1982.
b) Chaudhary Devi Lal the opposition leader led a movement called ‘Nyaya Yudh’
(Struggle for Justice) and formed a new party, Lok Dal.
c) His party joined other opposition parties to form a front against the Congress in the
elections.
d) In the election campaign, Devi Lal said that if his party won the elections, his government
would waive the loans of farmers and small businessmen.
e) The people were unhappy with the existing government. They were also attracted by
Devi Lal’s promise. So, when elections were held, they voted in favour of Lok Dal and its
allies.
f) Lok Dal and its partners won 76 out of 90 seats in the State Assembly.
g) Lok Dal alone won 60 seats and thus had a clear majority in the Assembly.
h) The Congress could win only 5 seats.
i) Once the election results were announced, the sitting Chief Minister resigned.
j) The newly elected Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of Lok Dal chose Devi Lal as
their leader.
k) The Governor invited Devi Lal to be the new Chief Minister.
l) Three days after the election results were declared, he became the Chief Minister.
m) As soon as he became the Chief Minister, his Government issued a Government Order
waiving the outstanding loans of small farmers, agricultural labourers and small
businessmen.
n) His party ruled the State for four years.
o) The next elections were held in 1991.
p) But this time his party did not win popular support.
q) The Congress won the election and formed the government.

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