DEMOCRACY AND ELECTION IN INDIA

Under this article we are going to understand Democracy and election in India . Popular definition of Democracy is – “DEMOCRACY IS GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE”

What is democracy?

Democracy is a system of government in which the people have the rights to choose their representatives. These elected representatives then go on to form a government . The government will run and represent the entire nation. Basically, In democracy, the power is not concentrated in the hands of a single person , as is the case under dictatorship or a monarchy .

What are the types of democracy?

• Direct democracy- Direct democracy, also known as pure democracy . Under it , there is direct participation of citizens in democratic decision making. Eg-  Switzerland .
• Indirect democracy- Indirect democracy, also known as representative democracy . It is a type of democracy where elected persons represent a group of people.

Features of democracy

Many different countries have developed their own unique forms of government. These may include a Two-party system , multiple-party systems , or indirect methods of representative election. However, irrespective of what their practices are , every Government that calls itself a Democracy has certain aspects which are common with other Democracies. These features of democracy are basic empowering tools that every citizen in the country is equipped with, irrespective of any form of gender, caste, race etc. the following are the features of democracy in India:

• Free, fair, and regular elections.
• Same law for all.
• Equal and fair opportunities to everyone
• No arbitrary rule
• Rule by following constitutions laws
• Fundamental rights
• Independent judiciary

Election

In democracy, there is a mechanism called election , with the help of which people can choose or elect their representatives on a fixed interval. In an election the voters make many choices –

• People can choose who will make laws for them.
• People can choose who will form the government and take major decisions on behalf of them .
• They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law making.

THE SYSTEM OF ELECTION IN INDIA

Electoral constituencies

• Area based system – In India , we follow an area-based system of representation. The country is divided into several different areas for the purpose of elections. These areas are called electoral constituencies. The voters who live in an area can elect one representative.
• For Lok Sabha elections, the country is divided into 543 constituencies. The representative elected for each constituency is called an MP (Member of Parliament).
• Also, there is roughly equal population in each constituency as stated in the constitution and every vote has an equal value.
• Similarly, each state is divided into a number of assembly constituencies. The elected representative in this case is known as MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly).
• Even a panchayat has a similar principal where each village is divided into wards and each ward elects one member of the village panchayat.

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Also Read – Agnipath Indian Army Recruitment  Scheme 2022 

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Voters List

Once constituencies are decided, the next step is to create a list of who all are eligible to vote. This list is known as voters list or electoral roll. In India, UAF (universal adult franchise) is followed where everyone who is above the age of 18 is allowed to vote irrespective to their age, gender, caste. Some criminals or people with unsound mind can be denied the access to vote, but only in a few cases. The government is responsible to get the name of all eligible voters on the voters list and remove the names of those who move out or have passed away. This list is revised every 5 years.

Nomination of candidates

• Age of candidate – In India, everyone who can vote can become a candidate in elections, the only difference being that the minimum age to become a candidate is 25 yrs.
• Restrictions – There are some other restrictions on criminals etc. , but only in extreme cases.
• Political parties nominate candidates who get their party symbol and support.
• Every participant has to make a legal declaration for themselves, giving full details of-
• Serious criminal cases pending
• Details of assets and liabilities of the candidate
• Educational qualification of the candidate.
• This information is made public to the voters to make their decision on the basis of the information provided.

ELECTION CAMPAIGN

• Election campaigns taking place in our country for a 2-week period before the announcement of the final list and date of polling.
• During this time, the candidates can contact their voters, leaders address election meetings and parties mobilize and assemble their supporters.
• These campaigns take place for political parties to gain attention on big issues for the public. Parties want to attract the public to that issue and its solution to get them to vote for their party.
• Restrictions – There are some restrictions in the election campaign , under which no party can –

1. Bribe or threaten voters
2. Appeal in the name of religion or caste
3. Use government resources for election campaigns
4. Spend more than 25 lakhs over a constituency for a Lok Sabha election or 10 lakhs for an Assembly election.
5. Their election can be rejected by the court if they do so.

POLLING OF VOTES

• Election day – The final stage of the election is when the voters cast or poll their vote. This day is usually called the election day.
• Process of voting – Every person whose name is on the list can go to a nearby polling booth to cast their vote. After casting their vote, the election officials identify her by putting a mark on her finger and allow her to caste the vote.
• Electronic voting machines – Voting nowadays are conducted on EVM machine and all the voter has to do is to press on the button against the name of the candidate or party she wants to vote for.
• Once polling is over, all the EVMs are sealed and then days later the counting of the votes for each candidate is done.
• The candidate who secures the highest votes from a constituency is declared elected.
• Within a few days, the results are declared and it becomes clear who will form the next government.

Advantages of Democracy

• Welfare – In a democracy people expect the government to work for their welfare. This could be through development of electricity, roads, through the provision of housing, employment, health, education, etc.
• Resolves Mistakes – Democracy gives room to correct the mistakes.
• Conflicts – If there are conflicts, Democracy gives room to resolve the conflicts.
• Decision making – Democracy helps in improving the quality of decision making.
• The dignity of all individuals gets enhanced due to Democracy.
• Promotes equality – Very importantly, Democracy helps in promoting equality among all the citizens of the country.
• Accountability – In a Democracy, the Governments are accountable, legitimate, and responsive to the expectations and needs of the citizens.
• One vote one value – All the citizens have equal weight in electing their government representatives.

Disadvantages of Democracy

• Corruption – As Democracy is based on electoral competition, it leads to corruption.
• Decision not by experts – As any ordinary citizen can contest elections and win elections, and any citizen can elect its Government representatives, it is argued that, ordinary citizens who do not know what is good for them should not be involved in decision making.
• Poor decision making – Elected Government representatives end up making bad decisions as they do not understand what decision taken is in the best interest of the people.
• Delay in decision making – The decision making in a Democracy gets delayed as many people have to be consulted.
• No scope for morality – There is no scope for morality in Democracy as Democracy is all about power play and political competition.
• Unstable – There is constant instability in Democracy as the leaders keep changing in the Democracy as the elections are held regularly.

 NOTE – This article has been written by Team Edunexter under the guidance of Mr. Pakshaal Jain ( Delhi ) .