Fill up the blanks:
The Electoral roll is revised __________ year.
One
Explanation: The Electoral Roll is the list of citizens, eligible to vote in an election. As new people turn 18 and some die or emigrate, the names in the roll need to be revised each year.
Fill up the blanks:
The Public Election Campaign comes to end before __________ hours to election day.
48
Explanation: According to the rules the Model Code of Conduct, public campaigns come to a halt 48 hours before the voting begins. However, doo-to-door campaigning continues till the voting day.
Fill up the blanks:
The recognition to political parties is accorded by __________.
Election Commission
Explanation: In India, any individual or groups of individual can approach the Election Commission and get a political registered. They can also get a party symbol, and put themselves on ballot, by paying the security deposit.
Fill up the blanks:
The Independence of Journalism is protected by __________.
Press Council of India
Explanation: The Press Council of India works towards raising the standards of journalism and ensuring the independence of the media. It is highly essential in today’s times, as Indian ranking on Press Freedom Statistics is drastically low.
Answer the following questions briefly:
Write a note on ‘Electoral Roll’.
1. The Electoral Roll is the list of all eligible voters in the country, that is, all those who are above 18 years of age, barring certain criminals.
2. It is prepared by the Election Commission of India, well before any elections are to be organized.
3. It is revised every year, as new youngsters who turn 18 enter the list, and those who have died or migrated are removed from the list.
Answer the following questions briefly:
Prove that “Political Parties are the link between elected representatives and people”.
The above assertion is true because:
1. Political parties field candidates in the elections. Each candidate owes allegiance to a party, its policies, agenda and its direction. Hence, political parties help the voters to know, what to expect from the working of a candidate.
2. Political parties connect the ideas and representatives at the local level, with a state-wide or nation-wide ideology or leader. They help the democracy climb through the geographical barriers and help to provide platform to all voices from the country.
3. Political representatives at the state and local level are the most accessible members of the government machinery. It is much easier for a person to go and talk to his MLA or his ward’s representative, than to a government official.
Answer the following questions briefly:
Write a note on Coalition Governments.
1. Over the years, as it became more difficult for any single political party to hold the majority in the Lok Sabha, several like-minded parties started coming together to form governments. When these parties decide to run the government on shared principles and interest after the elections (i.e. Post Poll Alliance), it is called a Coalition Government.
2. Political parties in a coalition share power in two ways – either, by joining the Council of Ministers or by providing outside support.
3. As the coalitions become more numerous, regional parties have started seeing a surge in their voice and dominance at the national level. This has helped to increase consensus, strengthen federalism and deepen democracy.
4. Examples of such arrangements include the current coalition government in Karnataka etc.
Activities:
Organize an essay competition on Elections.
ELECTIONS
Elections are the most important instruments of democracy. It is only through elections, that the citizens can make their voices heard and pass their judgement on the working of the government.
Hence, in India, elections are almost like a celebration. People come out in large numbers to elect the representatives who will provide them a say, at the national level. Elections last for weeks at a time, with various constituencies going to vote in differing phases. There is a certain euphoria and the fragrance of marigold, that’s seems to emanate from the constantly garlanded candidates. Major public rallies, road shows and even 3-D hologram shows, are held to appease the public, and pass on the ideology and competency of the candidates to the citizens. Ads are run on TV and social media, and interviewers have a field time.
Elections happen every 5 years in India. Their operation is controlled by the independent Election Commission of India, which has three members-the chief Election Commissioner and two election commissioners. They ensure that the elections happen in a free and fair manner. They bring charge on candidates that violate the rules laid down by the commission, and punish them with debarment from contesting.
Despite the best efforts of the government, election tend to remain an un-level playing field. Parties with more money win voters by using extra-constitutional means like bribes and liquor, and even brute force. Many candidates are known to capture booths, and recently, hacking of EVMs has captured the national imagination.
Elections are a mechanism of the democracy. They are a sacred ritual in any country. It is the responsibility of each one of us to ensure that the legitimacy of elections can be maintained. A vigilant public is the best deterrent to any malpractice. Hence, with legal support, we can ensure that elections proceed smoothly and yield unbiased results. It requires a lot of awareness from our part, but is worth the effort.
Activities:
Make a list of functions of Election Commission.
The Election Commission performs the following functions:
1. It is responsible to conduct free, fair and impartial elections and safeguard our democracy.
2. It issues the Model Code of Conduct during elections, and ensures that all political parties abide by it.
3. It regulates the political parties and the candidates and ensures that they are duly qualified to fight in the election.
4. It controls the monetary affairs of campaigning, ensures that no party spends fraudulently large sums of money, and asks for their financial statements to evaluate tax benefit claims.
5. It ensures that political parties conduct regular and fair elections within their party system as well.
6. In case of any election related dispute in the Court, the opinion of The Election Commission is solicited. The can provide their analysis on the situation but it is not binding on the court
7. The Election Commission also monitors the conduct of representatives post elections. It can opine on post electoral dismissal of candidates on the grounds of misdemeanours during elections.
8. It is also responsible for delimitation of constituencies and electoral districts throughout the country.
Activities:
Make a list of Political Parties.
National Political Parties
1. Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)
2. Indian National Congress (INC)
3. Bhartiya Samajwadi Party (BSP)
4. Indian Trinamool Congress
5. Communist Party of India
State Political Parties
1. National Conference, People’s Democratic Party (Jammu and Kashmir)
2. Shiromani Akali Dal, Aam Aadmi Party (Punjab)
3. Telugu Desam Party
4.DMK, AIADMK (Tamil Nadu)
5. Janta Dal (Orissa)