Class-7 Social Science, Institutional Representation of Democracy

Glossary

 Suffragette: A woman who campaigned for the right to vote

 Franchise: The right to vote in a country's elections

 Autonomous: Self-governing

 Scrutinize: To examine carefully

 Ideology: The ideas that form the basis of a political or economic theory

 Coalition: A temporary union of political parties

Exercises

 Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

 (a) Universal adult franchise is based on the concept of one-man and one vote.

(b) The Election Commission of India was set up in 1950

(c) The lower house of the Parliament is called the Lok Sabha

(d) EVM stands for Elecctronic Voting Machine

(e) A written statement of a political party's programmes and policies is called a manifesto.

 

Choose the correct answer:

 1)      Which of the following is a feature of elections in India 

a)      (a) Universal adult franchise

b)      (b) Secret ballot

c)      (c) Free and fair elections

d)      (d) All the above

Answer- d) All the above

 

2)      The election Commission of India is a dash member body

a)     (a) One

b)     (b) two

c)      (c) three

d)     (d)four

Answer – c) three

 

3)      Members of election commission of india are appointed by the

a)      (a) Prime Minister

b)      (b) Chief Justice

c)      (c) President

d)      (d) Supreme Court of India

Answer – c) President of India

 

4)      The number of seats in the lok sabha is

a)      (a) 545

b)      (b) 450

c)      (c) 550

d)      (d) 560

Ans- a) 545

 

5)      The coalition that formed the government after the 2009 elections is called the

a)     (a) SBA

b)     (b) UPA

c)      (c) APU

d)     (d) UPM

Ans- b) UPA

 

Match the rows

 

Lok Sabha	EVM	Political Party	National Party	UPA
Manifesto	Coalition	Lower house	Electronic voting machine	Significant presence throughout the country

 Solution-

Lok Sabha: Lower house

EVM (Electronic Voting Machine): Electronic voting machine

Political Party: Manifesto

National Party: Significant presence throughout the country

UPA (United Progressive Alliance): Coalition

 

4. Write true or false. Correct the false sentences in your notebook.

 (a)  All people above the age of 21 can cast their vote.

False – Only people above the age of 18 can cast their vote.

       (b)   The Rajya Sabha is directly elected by the people.

False – The Rajya Sabha is not directly elected by the people.

       (c)   The total number of seats in the Lok Sabha is 545.

True

       (d)   The members of the Lok Sabha are elected for a term of two years.

False – Members of the Lok Sabha are elected for a term of five years.

       (e)   A coalition government is formed when no single party gets an absolute majority.

True

 

5. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

 (a)  What do you understand by the term universal adult franchise?

Ans- Universal adult franchise means that all citizens above the age of 18 have the right to vote, regardless of their caste, creed, gender, or religion.

 

(b) What is the composition of the Election Commission?

Ans- The Election Commission is a three-member body headed by the chief election commissioner. He/She is assisted by two election commissioners. All the three members are appointed by the President of India.

 

(e) What is a constituency?

Ans- A constituency is a specific geographic area where people vote for their representatives.

 

(d) Name the two houses of the Parliament.

Ans- The two houses of the Parliament are the Lok Sabha (Lower House) and the Rajya Sabha (Upper House).

 

(e) What do you understand by the term manifesto?

Ans- A manifesto is a written statement that explains a political party’s programs and policies.

 

6. Answer the following questions in four or five sentences.

 (a)  What are the functions of the Election Commission of India?

Ans- The Election Commission of India’s functions include:

1)    conducting free and fair elections

2)    announcing election dates

3)    maintaining a voters list

4)    issuing Electoral Photo Identity Cards

5)    monitoring the election process to ensure fairness.

 

(b) Briefly explain the electoral process followed in our country.

Ans- The electoral process in India involves the Election Commission announcing election dates, candidates filing nomination papers, campaigning by political parties, and voting through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

 

(c) What are political parties? What is the difference between a national party and a regional party?

Political parties are organizations with common ideologies that aim to form the government. National parties have a significant presence throughout the country, while regional parties have influence limited to specific regions or states.

 

(d) What do you understand by the term opposition party? What is its function in a democracy?

Ans- The opposition party is a party that does not form the government but keeps a check on the government’s policies and actions by questioning them.

 

(e) When is a coalition government formed? Give suitable examples.

Ans- A coalition government is formed when no single party secures an absolute majority, and multiple parties come together to govern. An example is the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) formed after the 2009 general elections.

 

Some Important Questions

 

Q.1 What is universal adult franchise?

Ans- Universal adult franchise is the right to vote given to all citizens above the age of 18 in India, regardless of their caste, creed, religion, or gender. It is based on the concept of "one-man, one-vote."

 

Q.2 Who is responsible for conducting free and fair elections in India?

Ans- The Election Commission of India is responsible for conducting free and fair elections in India.

 

Q.3 How often are elections held for the Parliament and State Legislative Assembly in India?

Ans- Elections for the Parliament and State Legislative Assembly in India are held every five years.

 

Q.4 What is the role of the Election Commission in preparing for elections?

Ans- The Election Commission prepares the voters' list, issues Electoral Photo Identity Cards to eligible voters, announces election dates, sets a code of conduct for political parties, and releases election results.

 

Q.5 What is a constituency, and what happens in elections within a constituency?

Ans- A constituency is a specific geographic area where people vote for their representatives. Each constituency generally has the same number of voters, and one representative is elected from each constituency during elections.

 

Q.6 What is the difference between Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of Parliament (MPs) in India?

Ans- MLAs are elected representatives at the state level, while MPs are elected representatives at the national level. MLAs serve in the State Legislative Assembly, while MPs serve in the Parliament of India.

 

Q.7 What are Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and how are they used in elections?

Ans - Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are used to record votes in elections. They display the names of candidates and their party symbols, and voters press a button against the name of their chosen candidate. EVMs are sealed after voting ends.

 

Q.8 What is a political party, and what is the multi-party system in India?

Ans- A political party is an organization with a common ideology that aims to form the government. In India, the multi-party system means that several parties with different political ideologies can compete in elections.

 

Q.9 What are national parties and regional parties in India?

Ans- National parties have a significant presence throughout the country, while regional parties have influence limited to a specific region or state.

 

Q.10 What is a coalition government?

Ans- A coalition government forms when no single political party secures an absolute majority in an election. In such cases, a group of political parties comes together to form the government, and this is known as a coalition government.

  

Values and Life Skills

 Political parties form the basis of the electoral process in a democracy as they compete with each other for votes. A political party is a group of people who believe in the same ideology. During elections, citizens vote for the party whose ideologies they prefer the most.

 If you were to form a political party, what would be its core ideologies and values?

Ans- Here are some of the key ideologies and values that my political party would prioritize:

       (a)   Social Justice

       (b)   Environmental Sustainability 

       (c)   Education for All

       (d)   Healthcare Access

       (e)   Transparency and Accountability

       (f)    Gender Equality

       (g)   Youth Empowerment

 (     (h)   Economic Growth with Social Responsibility

(i)     (i)  Community Engagement

(j)     (j) Human Rights

 

FACT FILE

 In 2013, the Supreme Court of India gave a ruling that voters had a right to select an option I called None of the Above (NOTA) and the Election Commission was asked to provide this option beginning with the assembly elections in 2013.

 

Thinking Hat

HOTS-Analytical Skills

 The Election Commission mandates that campaigning for elections should stop 48 hours before the voting begins. This process is known as election silence. Why do you think this rule was established?

Ans-

Preventing Last-Minute Influence: It prevents last-minute attempts by political parties to influence voters through aggressive campaigning or propaganda.

 Ensuring Informed Choices: This is crucial for the integrity of the electoral process, as it ensures that voters have had adequate time to consider their choices.

 Minimizing Election: Related Tensions: Election silence helps reduce tension and the potential for conflicts or violence in the immediate lead-up to voting.

 Preserving Fairness: It prevents any party or candidate from gaining an unfair advantage by making a final push just before voting day.

 Respecting Voters' Rights: Election silence ensures that voters can exercise their democratic right without feeling rushed or pressured.

 

Remembering Skills

 Find out the number of parliamentary constituencies in your state (karnataka).

Ans- Karnataka has 28 parliamentary constituencies. (September 2021 data)