WHY DO WE NEED ELECTIONS?

• We can choose our representative

• It creates political competition

• Democratic way of selecting representatives

• We can select Government

• We can select the political party whose policies will guide the government.

WHAT MAKES ELECTION DEMOCRATIC?

• Free and fair elections

• Proper voter list

• One person , One vote and one value

• Candidate should be free to contest elections

• Elections must be held regularly(5 years)

• There should be more than one party and voters should get more choice

DISADVANTAGES OF POLITICAL COMPETITION

• It creates disunity and factionalism in every locality

• No space for morality

• Dirty tricks to win elections

• Creates instability in the government

• Candidates and parties make allegations

• Long term policies cannot be formulated.

ADVANTAGES OF POLITICAL COMPETITION

•  Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties

• Political leader are motivated by a desire to advanced their political careers

• Competition will benefit the citizens as they can choose their leader who will create more economic growth

• Because of competition of parties the ruling party or coming ruling party can improve their  mistakes and will serve people in better way

•  To win this competition, parties have to serve the people even if they don't want to. 

• They know that if they raise the issue that people want them to, their popularity will increase and their chances of winning will also increase

• If the competition is there then each party would work hard to save their power but without corruption

General Elections: Elections in all constituencies, same day or within a few days.

By-Elections : Elections in one constituency , due to death or resignation of member.

Electoral Constituencies:

•   Country divided into different areas for election

•   Voters living in one constituency will elect only one representative.

•   Lok sabha elections= 543 constituencies, MP= member of parliament

• Assembly Elections/state= state divided in constituencies, MLA= Member of Legislative Assembly

Reserved Constituencies:

•  Reserved constituencies are those constituencies in which seats are reserved for  SCs and STs on the basis of their population.

•  We need reserved constituencies to give equal right to vote to all the citizens because India has a universal  adult franchise.

•  Weaker sections may not have the required resources, education and contacts to contest and win elections.

•  84 constituents are reserved for SC and 47 are reserved for ST(2019)

•  Candidates of general category are not eligible to contest from these constituencies 

VOTER'S LIST

• Voter's list is also called Electoral Roll

• The list of those who are eligible to vote is prepared much before the election and given to everyone

• Only Indians can vote in the elections whether they are living in foreign or India

• There is no differentiation between rich and poor

• There is no caste discrimination

•  No one can be denied the right to vote

• Everyone should get an equal opportunity to choose representative

• There are elections in every 5 year and and all citizens can vote above 18 years of age . One citizen can give only one vote .

• Voter's list is an important step for it is linked to the first step of democratic election

• some criminal and unsound persons cannot vote

• New system of election photo identity card (epic) has been introduced.

•  The voters are required to carry this card when they go out to vote

• The card is not yet compulsory for voting.

• For voting, the voters can show many other proofs or identity like the ration card or the driving licence.

Nomination of candidates

• Political parties nominate their candidates who get the party symbol and support.

• Any-one who can be a voter can also become a candidate in elections but for contesting election person should be above 25 years.

• Candidates have to give following details:     ---Serious criminal cases pending against the candidate     --- Details of the assets and liabilities of the candidate and his or her family, and     --- Education qualifications of the  candidate

• Every person who wishes to contest election has to fill a nomination form and give some money as security deposit.

• Party's nomination is often called party 'ticket'.

• This information has to be made public Election Campaign

• It is necessary to have a free and open discussion about who is a better representative

• In election campaigns, political parties try to focus public attention on some big issues

• In our country such campaign  take place for a two-week period

• Congress party led by Indira Gandhi gave the slogan garibi hatao remove poverty in the lok sabha election of 1971

• Save democracy was a slogan given by Janata party and the leadership of Jai Prakash Narayan in the lok sabha election held in 1977

• According to our elections law, no party or candidate can:-

1. Bribe or threaten voters

2. Appeal to them in the name of caste or religion

3. Use government resources for election campaign

4. Spend more than Rs. 25 lakh in a constituency for a Lok Sabha election or Rs. 10 lakh in a constituency in an Assembly elections Polling and counting of votes

• The final stage of an election is the day when the voters cast or 'poll' their vote. That day is usually called the election day

• Every person whose name is in the voter list can go to a nearby polling booth and can vote, situated usually in a local school or a government office.

• An agent of each candidate is allowed to sit inside the polling booth and ensure that the voting takes place in a fair way.

• Nowadays electronic voting machines (EVM) are used to record votes

• A ballot paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting candidates along with party name and symbols are listed.

• Once the polling is over, all the EVMs are sealed and taken to a secure place.