Election :-
In a democratic system, the method by which the people choose their representatives is called election.
️ Representative :-
In a democratic system, the person whom the public elects and sends to the government (Parliament/Legislative Assembly), that person is called a representative.
️ Direct Democracy :-
Due to the small population in ancient Greek city-states, the people directly gathered at one place and raised their hands to participate in everyday (daily) decisions and running the government. Which is called direct democracy.
️ Indirect Democracy :-
Direct democracy has not been practical in modern large population nations. The general public cannot directly participate in the action of the government by directly gathering at one place. Therefore, their presence is registered in the government by sending its representatives. This is called indirect democracy.
️ Elections and Democracy :-
Elections and democracy are two sides of the same coin. Democracy is incomplete without elections, then elections are meaningless without democracy.
️ History of Elections in India :-
The first elections in India were held in the year 1951-1952.
The second election was held in the year 1957.
️ Election system in India :-
In the Indian Constitution, some basic rules for elections, laws and rules for the formation of autonomous bodies have been listed. Detailed rules and regulations amendment. The task of change has been given to the legislature.
In the election system, the constitution of the Election Commission, its functioning, who can contest the election, who can vote, who will oversee the election, how the counting of votes will be done etc. is all clearly written.
️ Election Commission :-
There is a three-member election commission to conduct free and fair elections in India. It consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and two other Election Commissioners. The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President. The first Election Commissioner of the country was Mr. Sukumar Sen. The tenure of the Chief Election Commissioner is 6 years or 65 years whichever is earlier. The present Chief Election Commissioner is Shri Sunil Arora.
️ The system of winning by the most votes :-
This system has been adopted in India. In this the one who gets the most votes will win even if the margin of victory is only one vote.
Qualifications fixed in the constitution to become a member of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha :-
Be a citizen of India.
Age should be 25 years.
Do not hold office of profit.
Don't be insane or bankrupt.
Not of criminal tendency or punishment.
Importance of elections in democracy :-
Election and democracy are two sides of the same coin. Today there is democracy in more than a hundred countries in the world. Where there is democracy, the electoral system is adopted to elect the people's representatives.
️ Election Process :-
Issue of notification by the Election Commission.
Date of election, date of application, withdrawal of nomination. To supervise election campaign and election campaign, to conduct free and fair elections on fixed dates, to conduct vote counting and to declare election results. (Elections, appointment of officers, establishment of polling stations)
️ Proportional Representation System :-
In this system, each party issues a priority list of its candidates before the elections, and selects as many candidates from that priority list as the quota of seats is given to it. This system of elections is called proportional representation system.
️ Types of Proportional Representation System :-
There are two types of proportional representation system. like -
1. In Israel and the Netherlands, the whole country is considered a single constituency and each party is given seats in proportion to the votes it receives in national elections.
2. The second type is in Argentina and Portugal, where the whole country is divided into multi-member constituencies.
Why was the system of 'Win by Most Vote' accepted in India?
This system is simple, for those voters who do not have knowledge of politics and elections.
Voters have a clear choice at the time of election.
Voters in the country get the opportunity to choose candidates instead of parties whom they know personally.
️ Reservation of constituencies :-
The system of reserved constituencies has been adopted by the Indian Constitution in an attempt to give equal representation to all classes in the Parliament. Under this arrangement, all the voters in a constituency will cast their vote but the candidate will only belong to the community or social class for which the seat is reserved.
️ Universal adult suffrage :-
Right to vote for all citizens above 18 years of age without any discrimination of caste, religion, sex and region.
️ Electoral Reforms :-
No system of election can ever be ideal. It has many drawbacks and limitations. A democratic society has to constantly look for ways to make its elections more free and fair, which is called electoral reform. Like banning people of criminal nature from contesting elections in India or setting some compulsory education qualifications to contest elections.
️ Features of Election System :-
India has adopted the system of winning with the most votes, its features are
1. In this, the representatives are accountable to the public.
2. There is a direct contact between the voter and the representative.
3. This system is based on the democratic principle of regional representation.
4. It costs less.
5. National unity would have been strengthened by this system.
6. It's simple.
️ Defects of election system :-
Excess expenditure of money.
Buying of votes.
False propaganda.
Communal Violence.
Vote in the name of caste, religion.
Entry of criminals.
