CBSE Class 9 Social Science Electoral Politics NCERT Solutions

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NCERT Solutions PDF Class 9 PDF

This chapter delves into the intricacies of Electoral Politics, a crucial component of democratic governance. The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Social Science, Chapter 3, provide a detailed explanation of why elections are fundamental to a democracy. Students will learn about the various activities involved in the election process, from voter list preparation and campaigning to vote counting and result declaration. The solutions also address the importance of free and fair elections, the role of the Election Commission, and the principles of representation. Key concepts like electoral malpractices, reserved constituencies, and the democratic nature of elections are explained. These solutions are designed to help students grasp the theoretical aspects and practical applications of electoral systems, aiding in their exam preparation by clarifying complex topics and providing structured answers.

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Quick info

BoardCBSE
ClassClass 9
SubjectSocial Science
Session2026
LanguageEnglish
TypeNCERT Solutions
ChapterChapter 20

Chapter summary

Chapter 3, Electoral Politics, focuses on the significance of elections in a democracy. The NCERT Solutions cover the reasons for conducting elections, criteria for democratic elections, and the various stages and activities involved. It explains the importance of voter lists, campaigning, polling, vote counting, and result declaration, emphasizing the need for free and fair practices. The chapter also touches upon representation and the role of reserved constituencies, providing a comprehensive overview of the electoral process.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the fundamental reasons for conducting elections in a democracy.
  • Identify the key activities involved in the entire election process.
  • Evaluate the criteria that make elections democratic.
  • Explain the importance of free and fair elections.
  • Analyze the role of reserved constituencies in ensuring representation.

Topics covered

Paper topics

  • Meaning and importance of elections
  • Democratic elections criteria
  • Election process stages
  • Voter list preparation
  • Election campaign
  • Filing nominations
  • Polling day procedures
  • Vote counting
  • Declaration of results
  • Free and fair elections
  • Reserved constituencies
  • Electoral malpractices

Important topics

  • Why elections are democratic
  • Election activities timeline
  • Ensuring free and fair elections
  • Role of reserved constituencies
  • Judging government performance through elections

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Which of the following statements about the reasons for conducting elections are false?
  1. Elections enable people to judge the performance of the government.
  2. People select the representative of their choice in an election.
  3. Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.
  4. People can indicate which policies they prefer.
Solution: The statement that is false is (c) Elections enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary. Elections are primarily about choosing political representatives and holding the government accountable for its actions, not about evaluating the judiciary's performance. Options (a), (b), and (d) are all valid reasons for conducting elections in a democratic system.

Question 2

Which of these is not a good reason to say that Indian elections are democratic?
  1. India has the largest number of voters in the world.
  2. India's Election Commission is very powerful.
  3. In India, everyone above the age of 18 has a right to vote.
  4. In India, the losing parties accept the electoral verdict.
Solution: The statement that is not a good reason to consider Indian elections democratic is (a) India has the largest number of voters in the world. While India has a large electorate, the sheer number of voters does not inherently guarantee democratic elections. Democratic elections are characterized by universal adult franchise (everyone above 18 can vote), regular elections, a fair chance for the ruling party to lose, and acceptance of the verdict by losing parties, along with a powerful and independent Election Commission to ensure fairness.

Question 3

Match the following:
  1. It is necessary to keep the voters' list up to date because...
  2. Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that...
  3. Everyone has one and only one vote so that...
  4. Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because...
With:
  1. there is a fair representation of all sections of our society
  2. everyone has equal opportunity to elect their representatives
  3. all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections
  4. some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last
Solution: Here is the correct matching:
  1. It is necessary to keep the voters' list up to date because (iv) some people may have moved away from the area where they voted last. This ensures that voters can cast their ballot in their current locality.
  2. Some constituencies are reserved for SCs and STs so that (i) there is a fair representation of all sections of our society. Reservations help ensure that marginalized communities have a voice in the legislature.
  3. Everyone has one and only one vote so that (ii) everyone has equal opportunity to elect their representatives. This principle of 'one person, one vote' upholds equality in the electoral process.
  4. Party in power is not allowed to use government vehicles because (iii) all candidates must have a fair chance of competing in elections. This rule prevents the misuse of public resources for political advantage, ensuring a level playing field.

Question 4

List all the different election related activities mentioned in the chapter and arrange them in a time sequence, beginning with the first activity and ending with the last. Some of these activities are given below:

releasing election manifestos; counting of votes; making of voters' list; election campaign; declaration of election results; casting of votes; ordering of re-poll; announcing election schedule; filing nomination.

Solution: The election-related activities in chronological order are:
  1. Making of voters' list
  2. Announcing election schedule
  3. Releasing election manifestos
  4. Election campaign
  5. Filing nomination
  6. Casting of votes
  7. Ordering of re-poll (if necessary)
  8. Counting of votes
  9. Declaration of election results
This sequence represents the typical flow of events from the preparation phase to the final announcement of election outcomes.

Question 5

Surekha is an officer in-charge of ensuring free and fair elections in an assembly constituency in a state. Describe what should she focus on for each of the following stages of election:
  1. Election campaign
  2. Polling day
  3. Counting day
Solution: As an officer in-charge of ensuring free and fair elections, Surekha should focus on the following:
  1. Election campaign: She must ensure that candidates adhere to the rules. This includes preventing bribery or threats to voters, ensuring that candidates do not exceed their expenditure limits, prohibiting appeals based on religion or caste, and stopping the use of places of worship or government resources for campaigning.
  2. Polling day: Her focus should be on the smooth conduct of voting. This involves verifying the accuracy of the voters' list, checking the identity proof of voters, preventing booth capturing (where a group tries to take control of a polling booth), and ensuring that the entire process is conducted freely and fairly without any intimidation.
  3. Counting day: On this day, she needs to oversee the counting process meticulously. It is important to ensure that the counting is carried out transparently, with representatives from all contesting parties present to witness the process and prevent any malpractices.

Question 6

The table below gives the proportion of different communities among the candidates who won elections to the US Congress. Compare these to the proportion of these communities in the population of the US. Based on this, would you suggest a system of reservations in the US Congress? If yes, why and for which communities? If no, why not?

(Note: The table itself is not provided in the source text, but the question implies a comparison is needed.)

Solution: The question asks to compare the representation of different communities in the US Congress with their proportion in the US population and suggest reservations if needed. Without the specific data table, a definitive answer cannot be given. However, based on the principle discussed in the chapter, if communities like Blacks and Hispanics are underrepresented in the US Congress relative to their population size, then suggesting a system of reservations for them would be a logical step to ensure fair representation, similar to how reservations are used in India for marginalized communities.

Question 7

Can we draw the following conclusions from the information given in this chapter? Give two facts to support your position for each of these.

(Note: The specific conclusions to be evaluated are not provided in the source text.)

Solution: This question requires evaluating specific conclusions based on the chapter's content and providing supporting facts. Since the conclusions themselves are missing from the provided text, it is impossible to provide a detailed answer. However, a general approach would be to identify a conclusion, recall relevant information from the chapter (like the definition of democratic elections, the role of the Election Commission, or examples of electoral malpractices), and then cite two specific facts or examples from the chapter that support or refute the conclusion.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing reasons for elections with criteria for democratic elections.
  • Incorrectly sequencing election-related activities.
  • Overlooking the importance of voter list maintenance.
  • Misinterpreting the role of reservations in elections.

Revision tips

  • Create a timeline of all election-related activities mentioned.
  • List the essential conditions for an election to be considered democratic.
  • Summarize the duties of an election officer at each stage.
  • Compare the Indian electoral system's principles with those discussed for other countries.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Which of the following is a primary reason for conducting elections in a democracy?

Q2. What is a key indicator that elections in India are democratic?

Q3. Why is it important to keep the voters' list up-to-date?

Q4. What is the purpose of reserving some constituencies for SCs and STs?

Q5. Which election activity involves candidates presenting their policy proposals to the public?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main purpose of elections according to Chapter 3?

Elections are conducted to enable people to judge the performance of the government, select representatives of their choice, and indicate their preferred policies.

What are the key activities involved in the election process?

The key activities include making the voter list, announcing the election schedule, releasing manifestos, campaigning, filing nominations, casting votes, ordering re-polls if necessary, counting votes, and declaring results.

How can we determine if an election is democratic?

An election is democratic if everyone above 18 has the right to vote, if elections are held regularly, if the party in power loses sometimes, and if the losing parties accept the verdict.

What is the role of reserved constituencies?

Reserved constituencies ensure that sections of society, like SCs and STs, who might otherwise not get fair representation, have their own elected representatives.

What should an officer in-charge focus on during election campaigns?

The officer should ensure candidates do not bribe or threaten voters, do not exceed expenditure limits, do not appeal in the name of religion or caste, and do not use places of worship or government resources for campaigning.

Why is it important to keep the voter list updated?

It is necessary to keep the voter list up-to-date because people may move away from the area where they last voted, and an accurate list ensures they can vote in their current location.

Important links

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