Electoral Politics 9th Chapter -3 Political Science

Notes on Electoral Politics

Electoral Politics refers to the process through which representatives are elected by the people to govern on their behalf in a democracy.

It encompasses all activities related to elections, including campaigning, voting, and the declaration of results.

Why Elections?

Elections are a vital mechanism in a democracy, enabling people to choose their leaders and hold them accountable.

eg:- The 1987 Haryana Assembly election.

Assembly Election in Haryana

The state had been previously ruled by the Congress party since 1982. Opposition leader Chaudhary Devi Lal led the 'Nyaya Yudh' movement (Struggle for Justice) and formed a new party called Lok Dal, joining forces with other opposition parties against Congress.

Election Campaign Promises

Chaudhary Devi Lal promised to waive loans for farmers and small businessmen if elected, attracting unhappy citizens with this promise.

Explanation

• The main reason for the formation of the Lok Dal party in Haryana was to unite with other opposition parties against the ruling Congress party.
• The state had been ruled by the Congress party since 1982, and Chaudhary Devi Lal led the 'Nyaya Yudh' movement against them.
• As a result, Chaudhary Devi Lal formed a new party called Lok Dal and joined forces with other opposition parties to challenge the Congress in the state elections.
• While it is mentioned that Chaudhary Devi Lal made election campaign promises such as waiving loans for farmers and small businessmen, the main reason for the formation of the Lok Dal party was to unite with other opposition parties against the Congress.

Election Results

The public was unhappy with the current government and found Chaudhary Devi Lal's promise appealing. Lok Dal and its allies won 76 out of 90 seats in the State Assembly, with Lok Dal alone winning 60 seats, while Congress managed only 5. Chaudhary Devi Lal was chosen as the leader by newly elected MLAs, and the Governor invited him to be the new Chief Minister.

Devi Lal Government Actions

• Waived outstanding loans for small farmers, agricultural labourers, and small businessmen.
• Ruled the state for four years.

1991 Haryana State Assembly Election

In the 1991 Haryana State Assembly election, Lok Dal did not win popular support, and Congress won the election, forming the new government.

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Why Do We Need Elections?

Elections take place regularly in any democracy. There are more than one hundred countries in the world where elections are held to choose people’s representatives. Elections are the mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals and replace them if they wish to do so. Therefore, elections are considered essential in our times for any representative democracy. In an election, voters make several important choices:

• They choose who will make laws for them.
• They choose who will form the government and make major decisions.
• They choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law-making.

What Makes an Election Democratic?

All countries hold elections. The following conditions make election democratic-

• Equal Voting Rights: Everyone should have one vote, and each vote should have equal value.
• Availability of Choices: Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections, providing real choices to voters.
• Regular Intervals: Elections should be held every few years to maintain a democratic system.
• People's Preference: The candidate preferred by the majority should be elected.
• Free and Fair Conduct: Elections should be conducted in a manner where people can choose according to their wishes.

Political Competition :

Demerits

• Long-term policies cannot be formulated.
• Good people do not enter politics.
• Creates a sense of disunity and ‘party politics’.
• Parties use dirty tricks to win elections.

Merits

• Elections force the ruling party to perform.
• The government is aware it will be voted out if it does not meet people's expectations.
• Political competition ensures parties and leaders serve the people.

Is it Good to Have Political Competition?

Elections are all about political competition. Without competition elections would become meaningless.

Drawbacks

• It creates a sense of disunity and factionalism.
• Different political parties and leaders often use dirty tricks to win elections.
• Parties and leaders often level allegations against each other.
• This pressure to win electoral fights does not allow sensible long-term policies to be formulated.
• The environment created by competition dissuades many people from entering the political arena.

Why Free Competition in Elections was Chosen

Constitution makers were aware of the drawbacks but believed that free competition works better in the long run:

• In an ideal world, political competition would not be necessary.
• Real-life political leaders are motivated by advancing their careers and gaining power.
• Relying solely on leaders' sense of duty is risky.
• Leaders may not always know what people want, or their ideas may not match public needs.

Dealing with Real-Life Situations

To address real-life situations, there are two approaches:

• Enhance the knowledge and character of political leaders.
• Establish a system where leaders are rewarded for serving the public and penalized for failing to do so.

What is Our System of Elections?

1. Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) elections are held regularly after every five years.
2. After every five years, the term of the elected representatives comes to an end, and the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha stand dissolved.
3. Elections are held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same day or within a few days. This is called a general election.
4. Sometimes, an election is held only for one constituency to fill a vacancy caused by the death or resignation of a member. This is called a by-election.

Electoral Constituencies

India follows an area-based system of representation. The country is divided into different areas for elections, known as electoral constituencies.

Voters in each constituency elect a representative for their area.

For Lok Sabha elections, India is divided into 543 constituencies. Each constituency elects a Member of Parliament (MP). Thus, 543 MPs are elected to the Lok Sabha as people's representatives.

To ensure equal value of every vote, the Constitution mandates that each constituency should have a roughly equal population.

Each state is divided into a specific number of Assembly constituencies. The elected representative in these constituencies is called a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).

The same principle applies to Panchayat and Municipal elections, where every village or town is divided into 'wards'. Each ward elects one member of the local body.

Sometimes, constituencies are referred to as 'seats'. For example, if it is said that 'Lok Dal won 60 seats' in Haryana, it means that Lok Dal candidates won in 60 assembly constituencies in the state, resulting in 60 MLAs for Lok Dal in the state assembly.

Reserved Constituencies

The makers of our Constitution introduced a special system of reserved constituencies to ensure representation for weaker sections of society. Some constituencies are reserved for individuals belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).

In a SC reserved constituency, only candidates from the Scheduled Castes can stand for election. Similarly, only individuals from the Scheduled Tribes can contest elections in constituencies reserved for ST.

As of January 26, 2019, the Lok Sabha has 84 seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the Scheduled Tribes. These reservations are in proportion to their share in the total population, ensuring that the reserved seats for SC and ST do not affect the representation of other social groups.

In many states, seats in rural (panchayat) and urban (municipalities and corporations) local bodies are also reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBC). The proportion of these reserved seats varies by state. Additionally, one-third of the seats in both rural and urban local bodies are reserved for women candidates.

Voters' List

• Deciding voter eligibility cannot be left until the last day. A list of eligible voters is prepared well before the election.
• This list, officially called the Electoral Roll, is commonly known as the Voters' List.
• The principle of universal adult franchise dictates that every citizen aged 18 years and above has the right to vote, with rare exceptions for criminals or those of unsound mind.
• The government is responsible for keeping the Voters' List updated, including new names and removing those who are deceased or have moved away.

Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC)

(i) In recent years, a new system of Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) has been introduced.

(ii) Voters are required to carry this card when they go out to vote, ensuring that no one votes on behalf of someone else.

(iii) If a person does not have a voter card, they can present alternative proof of identity, such as a ration card or driving license.

Nomination of Candidates

• Anyone who can be a voter (18 years or older) is eligible to contest an election as a candidate.
• The minimum age for a candidate is 25 years.
• Political parties nominate their candidates, called 'party tickets', with the symbol of the party, such as the Congress party’s hand symbol or the BJP’s lotus symbol.
• Individuals can also contest elections as independent candidates.
• Only one candidate from each party is allowed to contest in a constituency.
• Once the nomination process is completed, a list of candidates is published, with each candidate required to make a security deposit.
• In the past, a candidate had to provide an affidavit with details of any criminal cases pending against them, their assets and liabilities, and their educational qualifications. These details are made public, allowing voters to make an informed choice. Even candidates' photos and legal declarations are available online, empowering voters to analyze them.

Election Campaign

(i) In our country, election campaigns take place for a two-week period between the announcement of the final list of candidates and the date of polling.

(ii) During this period, candidates contact voters, political leaders address election meetings, and political parties mobilize their supporters.

(iii) Newspapers and television news are full of election-related stories and debates during this time.

(iv) The election campaign is not limited to the two-week period only; political parties start preparing for elections months before they actually take place.

Use of Slogans in Different Elections

(i) Political parties use slogans in election campaigns to focus public attention on major issues and encourage voting based on those issues. Examples include:

• Garibi Hatao (Remove Poverty) - Congress Party led by Indira Gandhi, Lok Sabha elections 1971.
• Save Democracy - Janata Party under Jayaprakash Narayan, Lok Sabha election 1977.
• Land to the Tiller - Left Front, West Bengal Assembly elections 1977.
• Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus - N. T. Rama Rao, Telugu Desam Party, Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections 1983.

Election Law

(i) According to our election law, no party or candidate can:

• Bribe or threaten voters.
• Appeal to voters in the name of caste or religion.
• Use government resources for election campaigns.
• Spend more than ₹25 lakh in a constituency for a Lok Sabha election or ₹10 lakh in a constituency for an Assembly election.
• If they do so, their election can be rejected by the court even after they have been declared elected.

(ii) In addition to the laws, all political parties in our country have agreed to a Model Code of Conduct for election campaigns. According to this, no party or candidate can:

• Use any place of worship for election propaganda.
• Use government vehicles, aircraft, and officials for elections.

(iii) Once elections are announced, Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of any projects, take any big policy decisions, or make any promises of providing public facilities.

Polling and Counting of Votes

On Election Day, voters go to a nearby polling booth, usually in a local school or government office.

Election officials identify voters, mark their finger, and allow them to vote.

Each candidate has an agent inside the polling booth to ensure fair voting.

Previously, voters used a stamp on a ballot paper to vote for their chosen candidate.

Today, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are used. Voters press a button next to their candidate's name and symbol.

After polling, EVMs are sealed and transported to a secure location.

Votes are counted on a fixed date, with agents present to ensure accuracy.

The candidate with the highest votes in a constituency is declared elected.

In general elections, votes are counted simultaneously in all constituencies, and results are reported by media within a few hours.

What Makes Elections in India Democratic?

Unfair practices in elections are often reported by the media, and they typically include the following:

Voter List Issues: The inclusion of false names or the exclusion of genuine voters from the electoral rolls.

Misuse of Government Resources: Ruling parties may misuse government facilities and officials to gain an advantage in elections.

Excessive Use of Money: Wealthy candidates and large parties often use excessive amounts of money to influence voters.

Intimidation and Rigging: Voters may be threatened, and there can be attempts to rig the voting process on election day.

While these practices are troubling, they usually do not occur at a scale large enough to undermine the overall purpose of elections.

Independent Election Commission

The Election Commission is an independent body provided for in the Constitution.

The whole election business is carried out by the Election Commission.

It is charged with the responsibility of conducting free and fair elections which are the foundation of the whole system of democracy.

Headed by the Chief Election Commissioner and two other members, the functions of the Commission are as follows:

• Preparation of voters’ list
• Delimitation of the constituencies
• Controlling the election machinery
• Recognizing newly formed parties
• Allotting party symbols to parties
• Conducting polling and counting of votes
• Announcement of results

The procedure for the appointment of the Election Commission is laid down in the Constitution. The Election Commission makes sure that the party in power does not take undue advantage of its position.

Popular Participation

People's enthusiasm in participating in elections reflects the quality of the election process.

If the election process is not free and fair, people will be less likely to participate.

Participation is measured by voter turnout, which shows the percentage of eligible voters who cast their vote.

In India, voter turnout has either remained stable or increased, unlike in Europe and North America where it has declined.

In India, poorer, illiterate, and underprivileged people vote more proportionately compared to richer and privileged sections.

Common people in India value elections highly and believe that their votes can influence political policies and programs.

Voter interest in election activities has been growing over the years.

During the 2004 elections, over one-third of voters participated in campaign activities, more than half identified with a political party, and one in seven voters was a party member.

Acceptance of Election Outcome

The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level.

In India, about half of the sitting MPs or MLAs lose elections.

Challenges to Free and Fair Elections in India

Challenges to free and fair elections in India include:

• Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory but they do enjoy a big and unfair advantage over smaller parties and independents.
• In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connections have been able to push others out of the electoral race and secure a ‘ticket’ from major parties.
• Some families tend to dominate political parties; tickets are distributed to relatives from these families.
• Very often, elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens, as both major parties are quite similar to each other in policies and practices.
• Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage compared to bigger parties.