Electoral Politics

● Why Do We Need Elections?

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○ In any democracy, elections serve as a crucial mechanism where citizens
select their representatives regularly. More than 100 countries worldwide
conduct elections to choose these representatives. An election allows voters
to make several decisions:
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○ Legislative Representation: Voters can choose individuals who will create
laws on their behalf.
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○ Government Formation: Voters decide which political party or coalition will
form the government and make significant decisions.
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○ Policy Direction: Voters select the party whose policies will influence
government actions and legislation.
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○ Through elections, citizens actively participate in shaping their governance
and ensuring that their voices are heard in decision-making processes.
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● What Makes an Election Democratic?
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○ A democratic election must fulfill several essential conditions to ensure
fairness and representativeness:
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○ Universal Suffrage: Every eligible citizen should have the right to choose their
representative freely, without any discrimination based on race, gender,
SSreligion, or social status.
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○ Political Freedom: Parties and candidates should have the freedom to
participate in elections without undue restrictions, providing voters with
genuine choices.
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○ Regular Elections: Elections should be held at regular intervals as stipulated
by law, ensuring that people have the opportunity to periodically review and
change their representatives.
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○ Majority Rule: The candidate who receives the most votes should be elected,
reflecting the will of the majority of voters in that constituency or jurisdiction.
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○ Free and Fair Process: Elections must be conducted in a transparent,
impartial, and inclusive manner. This ensures that voters can freely express
their preferences and that all candidates have equal opportunities to
campaign and present their platforms.
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● Is It Good to Have Political Competition?
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○ Political competition is generally considered beneficial for several reasons:
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○ Incentives for Performance: Regular electoral competition creates incentives
for political parties and leaders to perform well. Parties strive to address
issues that resonate with voters to enhance their popularity and electoral
prospects. This ensures that elected representatives are motivated to deliver
on promises and address public concerns.
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○ Accountability: Political parties understand that their ability to remain in power
depends on their performance and responsiveness to the electorate.
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○ Service Orientation: Even if a political party or leader is primarily motivated by
the desire to attain or retain power, competition compels them to focus on
serving the electorate. Parties must demonstrate their effectiveness and
responsiveness to gain and maintain electoral support. This leads to policies
and governance that are more attuned to the needs and aspirations of the
people.
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● What Is Our System of Election?
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○ In India, elections are conducted for two primary legislative bodies: the Lok
Sabha (House of the People) and the Vidhan Sabha (State Legislative
Assembly). These elections occur regularly every five years, marking the end
of the term for all elected representatives.
○ General Elections in India are held simultaneously across all constituencies
either on the same day or within a few days. During these elections, voters
cast their ballots to choose their representatives at both the national and state
levels. In contrast, a By-Election occurs when a vacancy in a constituency
arises due to the death or resignation of a sitting member. In such cases, only
that specific constituency conducts an election to fill the vacant seat.
○ These electoral processes ensure that citizens have the opportunity to elect
their representatives at regular intervals, contributing to the functioning of
India’s democratic system.
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● Electoral Constituency
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○ In India, electoral constituencies are geographical areas designated for
elections where voters elect their representatives. Here’s how it works across
different levels of governance:
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○ Lok Sabha Constituencies: India is divided into 543 constituencies for Lok
Sabha elections. Each constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to
represent them in the national parliament.
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○ Assembly Constituencies: Each state in India is divided into a specific number
of Assembly constituencies. Voters in these constituencies elect their
 representatives known as Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
Each Parliamentary constituency comprises several assembly constituencies.
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○ Local Body Elections: Similar principles apply to elections for Panchayats
(village councils) and Municipalities (urban local bodies). Villages and towns
are divided into smaller units called wards, which act as constituencies. Each
ward elects one member to represent them in the local body.
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● Reserved Constituencies
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○ In India, reserved constituencies are specific electoral areas set aside to
ensure representation for marginalized communities. Here’s how it works:
○ Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) Reservations:
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○ In the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), 84 seats are reserved for
candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), and 47 seats are reserved for
Scheduled Tribes (ST).
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○ Only candidates belonging to the respective Scheduled Caste or Scheduled
Tribe community can contest elections from these reserved constituencies.
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○ Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Women Reservations:
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○ Apart from SC and ST reservations, many states in India have also reserved
seats in rural (panchayat) and urban (municipalities and corporations) local
bodies for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and women candidates.
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○ This ensures that these communities also have adequate representation at
the grassroots level of governance.
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● Voters’ List
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○ In democratic elections, the Voters’ List, officially known as the Electoral Roll,
plays a crucial role. It’s prepared well in advance of the election and contains
the names of all eligible voters. This list ensures that every eligible citizen has
the opportunity to vote. While it’s the government’s responsibility to compile
this list, voters are required to carry a valid identification like the Election
Photo Identity Card (EPIC) when casting their votes. The EPIC helps prevent
fraudulent voting, although other identity proofs such as ration cards or driving
licenses are also acceptable for voting in India.
● Nomination of Candidates
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○ In India, anyone eligible to vote can also contest elections as a candidate,
provided they are at least 25 years old. To officially enter the electoral race, a
 candidate must fill out a ‘nomination form’ and deposit a specified amount of
money as security.
○ Candidates are required to declare certain details publicly, including any
serious criminal cases pending against them, their and their family’s assets
and liabilities, and their educational qualifications. This transparency allows
voters to make informed decisions based on the information provided by the
candidates.
● Election Campaign
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○ Election campaigns in India are crucial periods for candidates and political
parties to communicate their policies and appeal to voters. These campaigns
span two weeks between the final candidate list announcement and the
polling date. During this time, candidates engage directly with voters, leaders
hold rallies, and parties rally their supporters.

○ In accordance with India’s Election Law, parties and candidates are prohibited
from bribing or threatening voters, appealing for votes based on caste or
religion, using government resources for campaigning, or exceeding
expenditure limits (25 lakh rupees for Lok Sabha and 10 lakh rupees for
Assembly elections per constituency). Violations can result in electoral
disqualification through court rulings.

○ Furthermore, all political parties adhere to a Model Code of Conduct during

campaigns. This code prevents the use of places of worship for propaganda,
misuse of government vehicles or officials, and restricts ministers from
announcing policies or making promises once elections are announced.
These measures ensure fair and ethical campaigning practices across the
electoral process.
● Polling and Counting of Votes
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○ On election day, voters in India cast their votes at designated polling booths.
Here’s how the process unfolds:
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○ Eligible voters go to their assigned polling booth where election officials verify
their identity and mark their finger to prevent multiple voting.
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○ Inside the polling booth, agents of each candidate ensure fairness as voters
cast their votes.
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○ Traditional ballot papers have been replaced by electronic voting machines
(EVMs):
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○ EVMs display names of candidates and their party symbols.
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 ○ Voters simply press a button next to their chosen candidate’s name to cast
their vote.
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○ After voting ends, all EVMs are sealed and transported securely.
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○ A few days later, the sealed EVMs are opened, and votes for each candidate
are counted.
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○ The candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency is declared
the winner.
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○This process ensures transparency and efficiency in counting votes, leading
to the election of representatives based on the preferences of the electorate.
What Makes Election in India Democratic?
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○ Independent Election Commission: In India, elections are overseen by the
Election Commission (EC), which operates independently. The Chief Election
Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President and holds significant
powers:
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○ The EC manages all aspects of elections, from announcing dates to declaring
results.
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○ It enforces a Code of Conduct and penalizes parties or candidates for
violations.
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○ During elections, the EC can direct the government to ensure fairness and
prevent misuse of power.
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○ Government officials on election duty report to the EC, not the government
itself.
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○ Popular Participation: The democratic nature of Indian elections is reflected in
the high voter turnout:
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○ Voter turnout shows the percentage of eligible voters who actually vote.
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○ In India, turnout is notably high among poor, illiterate, and underprivileged
citizens compared to the wealthy.
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○ Voters believe elections empower them to influence policies and programs of
political parties.
○ Over time, there has been growing interest and engagement in
election-related activities among the public.
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 ○ Acceptance of Election Outcome: A crucial aspect of democratic elections is
the acceptance of election results:
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○ In India, ruling parties frequently lose elections at both national and state
levels.
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○ Unlike in some countries where incumbents rarely lose, about half of sitting
MPs or MLAs in India are defeated in elections.
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○ Candidates accused of spending heavily to influence voters or with criminal
backgrounds often face electoral defeat.
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○ Except for rare disputed cases, election outcomes are generally accepted as
the “people’s verdict” by the losing parties.
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● Challenges to Free and Fair Elections
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○ Challenges to ensuring free and fair elections in India persist despite the
overall integrity of the electoral process. These challenges include:
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○ Financial Advantage: Candidates and parties with substantial financial
resources often have an unfair edge over smaller parties that lack similar
financial backing. This disparity can skew the electoral playing field in favor of
wealthy candidates or parties.
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○ Criminal Influence: Candidates with criminal backgrounds sometimes secure
party nominations, sidelining other candidates and influencing electoral
outcomes through intimidation or illicit means. This undermines the fairness of
the electoral process.
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○ Dynastic Politics: In some cases, political parties favor candidates from
influential families, granting them party tickets based on familial connections
rather than merit or public support. This practice limits the diversity of
candidates and restricts genuine electoral choices.
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○ Limited Choice: Despite a multi-party system, major political parties in India
often have similar policies and practices. This reduces the diversity of ideas
and limits the choices available to voters, especially in terms of substantive
policy differences.

○ Disadvantages for Smaller Parties: Smaller political parties and independent

candidates face significant challenges in competing against larger ,
well-established parties. They often struggle with limited resources, less
visibility, and inadequate representation in mainstream media.