Questions and Activities
1. Why is universal adult franchise important for a healthy democracy?
Answer: Universal adult franchise is crucial because:
- Equality: It ensures political equality by giving every adult citizen one vote with equal value, regardless of their social or economic status.
- Inclusivity: It allows marginalized groups (poor, minorities, women) to have a say in governance.
- Accountability: It makes the government answerable to all people, not just a privileged few.
- Legitimacy: A government elected by all citizens has greater moral authority to rule.
2. What is the meaning of ‘secret ballot’? Why is this important in a democracy?
Answer:
- Meaning: A secret ballot means that a voter’s choice is confidential. No one else knows who a person voted for.
- Importance: It protects voters from intimidation, bribery, or retaliation. It ensures that people can vote fearlessly according to their own conscience.
3. Give examples of direct and indirect elections.
Answer:
- Direct Elections: Elections where citizens vote directly.
- Lok Sabha Elections (electing MPs).
- State Assembly Elections (electing MLAs).
- Gram Panchayat Elections.
- Indirect Elections: Elections where elected representatives vote on behalf of citizens.
- Presidential Election.
- Rajya Sabha Elections.
4. How is the election of members to the Lok Sabha different from that to the Rajya Sabha?
Answer:
| Feature | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha |
|---|---|---|
| Voters | Citizens of India (Direct) | MLAs of States (Indirect) |
| Tenure | 5 Years | 6 Years (Permanent House) |
| System | First-Past-The-Post | Single Transferable Vote |
| Age Limit | Minimum 25 years | Minimum 30 years |
5. What, in your view, are the advantages of the EVM over paper ballots?
Answer:
- Speed: Counting votes takes hours instead of days.
- Accuracy: Eliminates invalid votes (common in paper ballots due to stamping errors).
- Eco-friendly: Saves millions of trees by reducing paper usage.
- Security: Harder to tamper with compared to stuffing ballot boxes.
6. Voter turnout has been declining in some urban areas of India. What could be the reasons for this trend, and what steps can be taken?
Answer:
- Reasons:
- Apathy (“My vote won’t change anything”).
- Migration (Voters registered in hometowns but working in cities).
- Long weekends (People treating election day as a holiday).
- Steps:
- Remote Voting: Enabling migrants to vote from their current location.
- Awareness: Campaigns targeting urban youth.
- Convenience: More polling booths in high-density areas or weekend voting.
7. Why do you think a proportion of seats in the Lok Sabha is reserved for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes?
Answer: Historically, Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) faced social discrimination and exclusion.
- Reservation ensures they have a guaranteed voice in the highest law-making body.
- It empowers these communities to influence policies that affect their welfare.
- Currently, 84 seats are reserved for SCs and 47 seats for STs in the Lok Sabha.
8. Social media is changing elections. Is this strengthening or confusing democracy?
Answer:
- Benefits (Strengthening):
- Direct connection between leaders and voters.
- Rapid dissemination of information.
- Encourages youth participation.
- Challenges (Confusing):
- Spread of Fake News and misinformation.
- Echo chambers creating polarization.
- Online harassment.
- Conclusion: It is a double-edged sword. Digital literacy is required to navigate it effectively.