Reviewing Class 8 SST Notes Chapter 5 Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System Class 8 Notes regularly helps in retaining important facts.
Class 8 Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System Notes
Class 8 SST Chapter 5 Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System Notes
Class 8 SST Chapter 5 Notes – Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System Notes Class 8
Universal Adult Franchise
→ Universal Adult Franchise is a key feature of Indian democracy and the Constitution of India.
→ It means that every adult Indian citizen, i.e., aged 18 years and above, gets one vote and all votes have equal value.
→ All eligible voters have a right to vote irrespective of their caste, creed, gender, race, religion, education, income, etc.
→ Indian democracy is built on the foundation of Universal Adult Franchise.
→ Article 326 of the Constitution guarantees Universal Adult Franchise as the basis for elections to the Lok Sabha, State legislative Assemblies, and Union Territories. It also includes local elections in cities and villages.
→ Only you have the right to cast your vote; no other person has the right to cast your vote on your behalf.
→ A person may be disqualified from voting if they are convicted of serious criminal offences.
→ Universal Adult Franchise strengthens equality, eliminates discrimination based on caste, creed, religion, gender, education, or income, involves citizens in shaping their future, and ensures accountability from elected leaders through civic participation in governance.
→ India has about 3 million elected leaders, including 1.3 million women, serving in over 250,000 local government bodies. All are chosen by voting, where every adult has the right to vote.
→ Before Independence, only a small part of the Indian population (13%) had voting rights, so voting was not universal.
→ India was among the first countries to grant women voting rights, long before countries like Switzerland, where women gained this right in 1971. This was due to India’s strong democratic values and progressive vision from the start.
Bridging Barriers, Enabling Participation: Ensuring Universal Franchise
→ Democracy prospers only when every eligible citizen participates.
→ To ensure every voter exercises their vote, many innovative methods have been implemented to ensure that no one is left behind, even in the remotest parts of India.
→ To increase participation of its voters, ECI (Election Commission of India) has taken the following steps:
- Electoral officers set up polling stations in remote areas.
- In 2024, for the first time, elderly and specially abled persons were able to cast their votes from home.
- Braille-enabled voter cards are made available.
- Requests for wheelchairs and ramps can be made through Apps.
→ With innovations and evolving needs, electoral authorities make every effort to ensure that citizens face no difficulties in reaching polling stations.
Election for Class Representative – Grade 8, Suryodaya School
→ Annual Elections for Class Representative were held in Suryodaya School.
→ For Grade 8, three students – Ahmed, Gurmat, and Ravi – decided to contest for the post.
→ To ensure the election process is free, fair, and transparent, the class teacher, Ms. Usha, was appointed as the Election Officer.
Campaigning
→ Ahmed put up posters promising to improve cleanliness in school, class, and the playground.
→ Gurmat used the class noticeboard and spoke to classmates, proposing a system of peer-coaching and mutual support to learn better.
→ Ravi held a music performance during lunchtime to promote his idea of making some space in the timetable for the arts curriculum – music, culture, and visual art.
→ Mrs. Sharma explained the rules of the election to all the students in the class.
→ Voting booths were set up in the corner of the classroom.
Voting Day
→ On the voting day, all the students were given a ballot paper.
→ They were asked to mark ‘X’ in front of their preferred choice.
→ Especially for Neha, a ballot paper in Braille was made available.
→ Voting finished, and Ms. Usha sealed the ballot box.
The Results
→ Ms. Sheeba, another teacher, was called to witness the counting process for transparency.
→ Ballot box was opened and all the 33 votes that were cast were taken out.
→ One of the ballot papers was not marked and was declared invalid.
→ The rest of the ballot papers were segregated and counted.
→ Ahmed received 8 votes, Gurmat 12, and Ravi 10.
→ As Gurmat received the maximum votes, she was declared the new Class Representative.
→ Gurmat thanked all the classmates and assured them of fulfilling her promises.
→ Ahmed and Ravi congratulated Gurmat and offered their support in her endeavour.
The Role of the Election Commission of India (ECI)
India is the largest and most diverse democracy in the world, and planning the election process requires careful consideration of many factors, including the diverse needs at both national and regional levels. The Election Commission of India (ECI) oversees various elections like these for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, each focusing on distinct governance aspects.
Election Commission of India – A Brief Introduction
→ The Election Commission of India was established in 1950.
→ It is an independent constitutional body.
→ It is responsible for conducting free and fair elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, Office of the President, and Vice President of India.
→ The first general elections of India after independence were held in 1951-52.
Key functions performed by the ECI include:
Managing the Electoral Process
→ Managing elections in India is a massive and complex task.
→ The ECI continuously upgrades its systems to ensure free and fair elections.
→ All elections follow a periodic schedule, with different elections occurring in various parts of the country each year as per their due dates.
→ For Lok Sabha elections of 2024, there were 980 million registered voters, 543 parliamentary constituencies, and about 1 million polling stations.
→ Some Lok Sabha seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. This can be understood by the diagram shown below.
In 2024, the Election for the Lok Sabha was held in 7 phases as shown below.
Process of Voting for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies
- Step 1: As the voter steps inside the polling station, the first Polling Official checks the name on the voter list and ID proof.
- Step 2: The second official inks the index finger, takes the signature, and hands a slip.
- Step 3: The third official takes the slip and checks the finger to see if it’s inked or not. The option for NOTA (None Of The Above) is also available.
- Step 4: Then the voter moves to the polling booth, presses the button against the candidate’s name of his choice on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), and as the button is pressed, a beep sound comes.
→ The voter can also see the screen of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (WPAT) machine – the symbol they had voted for.
→ India’s Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (WPAT) systems have been shared with countries like Namibia and Bhutan, and several others have studied and received training from India to adopt this technology.
→ VVPAT gives voters a printed slip to confirm their vote, creating a paper trail that can be used for recounts or checks if needed.
Model Code of Conduct (MCC)
→ To ensure free and fair elections, every party, its leaders, and the candidates agree to follow the Model Code of Conduct as laid down by the ECI.
→ A few elements of code for the Model Code of Conduct are:
- Parties and leaders of the ruling party should not use government money or resources for their election campaign. For example, they should not start new government projects to win votes.
- All candidates should behave respectfully and ensure that elections happen peacefully without any fights or violence.
- Giving voters gifts, money, or any kind of favour in return for votes is not allowed and is a punishable act.
→ The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) began in Kerala in 1960 with support from major political parties. It was shared nationwide during the 1962 elections, and since 1991, the Election Commission has actively enforced it.
→ T.N. Seshan became Chief Election Commissioner in 1990. He made elections better by setting clear rules for campaigns, using voter ID cards, and checking how much money candidates spent. He is known for making elections in India fairer, transparent, and fearless.
Understanding Elections in India – A Very Brief Overview
Election to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies
→ In India, general elections are considered the ‘Festival of Democracy’. It is the time when the eligible voters exercise their votes to choose their candidates in a free, fair, and responsible way.
→ In India, the parliamentary system of governance is practised.
→ Three types of governments are elected by the citizens of India. They are the Lok Sabha at the national level, State Legislative Assemblies at the state level, and Local Bodies at the city and village level.
→ There are 543 constituencies for the Lok Sabha elections.
→ The candidates who are elected to the Lok Sabha are called Members of Parliament (MPs).
→ The candidates who are elected to the State Legislative Assemblies are called Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
→ “First-Past-the-Post” method is adopted in these elections. It means that the candidate who secures the maximum votes is declared the winner even if the vote % is less than 50%.
→ After the elections, the government is formed by the political party or coalition that wins the majority of seats.
→ At the national level, the leader of the party having a majority in the Lok Sabha becomes the Prime Minister.
→ Similarly, at the state level, the leader of the party having a majority in the state assembly becomes the Chief Minister.
→ Elections to Urban Local Bodies are conducted by the State Election Commission.
→ The State Election Commission holds elections in consultation with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
→ The State Election Commission also plays an important role in General and State elections.
Election to the Rajya Sabha
→ Members of the Rajya Sabha are elected through indirect elections.
→ Members of the Rajya Sabha are also known as Members of Parliament (MPs).
→ There are 245 members in the Rajya Sabha.
- 233 members are elected by the members of the State Legislative Assemblies.
- 12 members are nominated by the President of India.
→ Based on its population, each state is allotted a different number of Rajya Sabha seats. For instance, states with larger populations, like Uttar Pradesh, have more seats than smaller ones, like Arunachal Pradesh.
→ The Rajya Sabha is never dissolved, so it is also called the Permanent House.
→ The term of a Rajya Sabha member is six years; one-third members retire every two years and new members are elected in their place.
→ In the Rajya Sabha, voting uses the single transferable vote system, where candidates are ranked to ensure fair representation for smaller states.
Election of the President of India
→ The President of India is elected through an election.
→ Common citizens are not entitled to vote in this election.
→ To elect the President of India, an electoral college is formed. This Electoral College consists of:
- The MPs of both the houses, i.e., the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
- MLAs of all Indian states, including the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry.
→ The single transferable vote system ensures the president’s election reflects both central and state support, with populous states having more influence.
→ The following groups of persons is not included in the electoral college:
- 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha.
- Nominated members of the State Legislative Assemblies.
- Elected and nominated members of Legislative Councils in bicameral legislatures.
- The nominated members from the union territories of Delhi and Puducherry.
Election of the Vice President of India
→ Unlike the voting pattern followed for the President of India, the election of the Vice President is done using a single-vote system.
→ Each Member of Parliament casts a single vote for the candidate they prefer.
→ As chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the Vice President takes over the President’s duties if the President is unable to perform them.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
→ India is the largest democracy in the world, so it has the largest electoral system, which is widely celebrated.
→ Like many democracies, India also faces numerous challenges like growing money influence in elections, criminal candidates, and voter apathy, especially in urban areas.
→ These challenges affect the future of our democracy and raise important questions about how to strengthen it in the face of such issues.
→ Empowering voters with information is key to strengthening democracy. Media, education, and awareness campaigns must work together to help people make thoughtful and responsible choices.
→ An informed and alert voter is the best protection for a democracy. It begins with asking the right questions and ends with casting a responsible vote.
→ Abundant: Something available in large quantities; more than enough.
→ Celebration: The action of marking a special event or occasion with enjoyable activities.
→ Universal Adult Franchise: The right of adult citizens to vote in an election, regardless of their sex, caste, creed, race or economic status.
→ Franchise: The right to vote in public elections.
→ Democracy: A system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule directly or through elected representatives.
→ Constituency: A geographical area whose residents elect a representative to a legislative body.
→ System: A set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole to simplify a process, especially for a particular purpose.
→ Literacy rate: The percentage of people who can read and write in a given population.
→ Thrives: Grows, develops or succeeds vigorously.
→ Braille-enabled voter cards: Voter cards with Braille to help visually impaired individuals identify them.
→ Ballot paper: A paper used to cast a vote in an election.
→ Caselet: A short case study, often used for analysis or discussion.
→ NOTA: “None of the Above” – an option on a ballot to indicate disapproval of all candidates.
→ Election Commission of India: An autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering the election process in India.
→ Diversity: The state of having variety, especially in terms of people, ideas, or culture.
→ Mammoth: Extremely large or massive.
→ VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail): A system that allows voters to verify their electronic vote on a paper slip for transparency.
→ Model Code of Conduct (MCC): A set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission to regulate political parties and candidates before elections.
→ Voter ID: Official identification cards issued to eligible citizens to verify their identity for voting.
→ Coalition: An alliance of political parties or groups formed to achieve a common goal, often to form a government.
→ Indirect Elections: Elections where representatives choose the officeholder, not the voters directly.
→ Dissolved: When a legislative body is officially closed before a new election.
→ Single transferable vote system: A voting system where voters rank candidates, and votes are redistributed based on preferences.
→ Bicameral legislatures: Legislatures with two distinct chambers or houses, often with separate roles and powers.
→ Vigilant: Keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
→ The universal adult franchise is the cornerstone of Indian democracy.
→ The right to vote is a responsibility, too. It needs to be taken seriously by every voter.
→ Voter awareness is an important aspect of the right to vote.
→ It is important to facilitate the participation of all eligible voters.
→ The Election Commission of India is the Constitutional body that conducts elections in the country.
→ The ECI oversees all the elections in the country, including those of the president and vice president.
→ Indian democracy faces challenges that call for the voters’ vigilance and awareness.
Universal Adult Franchise Class 8 Notes
The Constitution makers decided that universal adult franchise would be a feature of Indian democracy right from the outset. This means that every adult citizen gets one vote, and all votes have equal value. Hence, every Indian citizen aged 18 and above has the right to vote irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion, gender, education, income, etc. The word ‘universal’ connotes this.
Universal franchise is a cornerstone of Indian democracy. Elections to the Lok Sabha, the legislative assembly of every state and union territory, and all the local elections in villages and cities are based on universal franchise (Article 326 of the Constitution). Remember that no one can vote on another’s behalf.
Can you calculate how long you have to wait before you can vote?
To be able to exercise your right, you need to be registered as a voter in your constituency. However, one is barred from voting if found guilty of committing certain serious crimes.
Do you remember India had a general election in the summer of 2024?
About 980 million voters were eligible to exercise their franchise for the 543 constituencies of the Lok Sabha. India has 3.1 million elected representatives (1.3 million of them women) in more than 250,000 local government bodies across India. All these are democratically elected through a universal adult franchise.
We need an elaborate and well-organised system to manage this massive exercise and ensure that the elections take place fairly and freely. In this chapter, we will briefly explore who can vote, a few of the types of elections we have, the electoral system, and how it is organised.
Before Independence, only 13 per cent of Indians were allowed to vote, and the franchise was not universal. We will delve more into this in another part of the textbook.
India was among the early nations to grant women the right to vote, ahead of many others around the world. For example, women were given the right to vote in Switzerland only in 1971. Women fought long and hard in many countries to win this fundamental democratic right. In India, on the other hand, a progressive constitutional vision and deep democratic values rooted in India’s ancient traditions ensured women had voting rights from the very beginning. There are several reasons why a universal franchise is so important. A few are illustrated in the mind map below. Can you add some more?
Bridging Barriers, Enabling Participation: Ensuring Universal Franchise Class 8 Notes
Democracy thrives when every eligible citizen can freely and fairly participate in the electoral process. Voting in elections is a powerful way for people to express their will. How does this take place in India? India is a large, diverse, and complex country. To illustrate, the population of eligible voters in India is fifteen times the population of the United Kingdom, and in terms of area, India is six times larger than France. Geographic diversity is a challenge, too. Thus, elections in India need to be organised taking this complexity into account. The Election Commission of India organises elections in India. (We will learn more about ECI later in the chapter.) The ECI has taken several innovative accessibility measures to remove barriers to exercising the franchise and ensure no voter is left behind.
Electoral officials travel to remote locations to ensure every citizen can exercise their democratic right. In 2024, for the first time, the elderly and people with disabilities could cast their votes from home, and the postal voting option was available for a specifi category of voters. Assistive technologies like braille-enabled voter cards and app-based requests for assistance, including wheelchairs and ramps, were also made possible.
The Uttaramerur inscriptions from the 10th century describe a transparent process for the selection of representatives. Eligible candidates’ names were written on fragments of palm leaves and placed in a pot, which was then sealed. On the selection day, it was opened publicly, and a young boy drew the palm leaves randomly one by one; a respected individual, after showing his empty hands to the public, would read out each name of the selected candidates.
Election for Class Representative Grade 8, Suryodaya School
It was time for the annual election of the Class Representative (Class Rep). The Class Rep would represent the class in meetings with teachers, organise events, and act as a bridge between the students and school authorities. Three students, Ahmed, Gurmat, and Rav,i decided to contest for the position. The class teacher, Ms. Usha, was appointed as the Election Officer to ensure the election process was fair, transparent, and followed all the necessary rules.
Here’s a brief introduction of each of the candidates: Ahmed promised to improve the cleanliness of the classrooms and the playground. Gurmat was interested in helping all her classmates learn better. She proposed creating a system of peer coaching and mutual support. Ravi wanted to make more space in their class timetable for the arts curriculum, music, theatre, and visual art in line with the new curriculum.
Campaigning:
Ahmed put up posters, Gurmat used the noticeboard and spoke to classmates, while Ravi held a lunchtime music performance to promote his idea. As the Election Officer, Ms. Usha had to organise the elections and ensure it was conducted fairly. She explained the rules to the class, ensuring everyone understood how the secret ballot voting process would work; no one would know who voted for whom, ensuring the process was private and fair. She set up the voting booths in the corner of the classroom.
Voting Day:
On election day, each student was given a ballot paper with the names of the three candidates. The students were asked to mark an ‘X’ next to the name of the candidate they wished to vote for. Ms. Usha also ensured that there was a ballot paper in braille for Neha. After all the students voted, Ms. Usha collected the ballots in a box and sealed it until the counting session.
The Results:
After all the 33 votes were cast, Ms. Usha called Ms Sheeba from the next class to witness the counting process. One of the ballot papers was not marked, so it was declared invalid. The results were announced: Ahmed received 8 votes, Gurmat 12, and Ravi 10. Gurmat, with the most votes, was declared the new Class Representative. She thanked her classmates and promised to fulfill her commitments. Ahmed and Ravi congratulated her and offered to support her.
Imagine if a student did not want to vote for any of the candidates, Ahmed, Gurmat, or Ravi. What option would they have? Some countries, including India, offer an additional option, NOTA (None Of The Above). This option allows voters to reject all candidates if they are not satisfied with any of them. It doesn’t change the result, but sends a message that voters want better choices. NOTA is a quiet but powerful tool in a democracy.
The Role of the Election Commission of India (ECI) Class 8 Notes
We have seen the size and diversity that need to be kept in mind in the organisation of the election process in India. In this section, we will look at the different types of elections that the ECI organises and oversees. These are just two of the elections that the ECI manages; we will see more in the later sections. However, before we get a glimpse of the election process, let us get introduced to the Election Commission of India, the institution that oversees it.
India is a parliamentary democracy where, at the national level, citizens choose representatives for the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Parliament). They focus on issues affecting the entire country. In addition, voters elect representatives from their constituencies to the legislative assemblies in the state and union territories where they are registered. These members focus primarily on regional issues.
Election Commission of India – A brief introduction Class 8 Notes
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an independent constitutional body responsible for conducting free and fair elections. It was established in 1950 and conducts elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies in India, and the office of the President and Vice President. The first general elections in independent India were held in 1951-1952. The ECI performs crucial tasks like:
Managing the Electoral Process
Managing elections in India is a mammoth task. The ECI has been upgrading its capacities to keep pace with the needs of modern India in conducting free and fair elections. The electoral system is massive and needs to work efficiently. We take the example of the Lok Sabha elections to illustrate this. Note that the elections to the state assemblies follow a similar process. All elections take place at different times but with some periodicity; so every year, several polls are conducted in various parts of the country based on when they are due.
As you can see, the numbers are very large. Many people are deployed to assist with the whole process, including teachers. 84 of the Lok Sabha constituencies are reserved for persons from the scheduled castes, while 47 are reserved for scheduled tribes.
India’s electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems have been used in countries like Namibia and Bhutan with support from the ECI. Other countries have also studied this technology and have received training from India to adopt it in their countries. VVPAT is a system that produces a physical paper record, allowing voters to verify that their electronic votes were cast correctly. This paper trail provides a backup for verification and recounting purposes in case of disputes or failures of the electronic system.
Model Code of Conduct (MCC)
The code is followed to ensure free and fair elections, listing the dos and don’ts for leaders, political parties, and candidates that must be adhered to. A few elements of the code: There are rules that the party in government must follow; this ensures that the resources available to the government are not used for the purpose of the elections. For example, no new schemes or projects are to be announced that may influence voters. All candidates are expected to exercise discretion and restraint to ensure that the elections take place peacefully. Influencing voters through gifts in return for votes is punishable. Here are a few types of complaints that the ECI handles.
The Model Code of Conduct was adopted in Kerala in 1960, voluntarily approved by representatives of the major political parties of the time. The ECI circulated it to political parties during the 1962 general elections, and from 1991, the ECI became proactive in ensuring the observance of the MCC.
T.N. Seshan became the Chief Election Commissioner in 1990. He brought in reforms to ensure free and fair elections, among them: campaigning to follow precise rules, voter IDs to eliminate proxy voting, and strict vigilance on spending by candidates. T.N. Seshan worked hard to protect the rights of voters and is often remembered as the officer who made Indian elections fairer, transparent, and fearless!
Understanding Elections in India – A Very Brief Overview Class 8 Notes
Election to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies
Elections in India are often referred to as the ‘Festival of Democracy’, a time when citizens exercise their right to choose representatives freely, fairly, and responsibly. We know that India follows a parliamentary system of government where citizens participate in various levels of elections, Lok Sabha (national level), state legislative assemblies (state level), and local bodies (city and village level). The country is divided into 543 constituencies for the Lok Sabha elections. The elected candidates to the Lok Sabha are known as Members of Parliament (MPs), whereas candidates elected to state assemblies are known as Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). India uses the ‘First-Past-the-Post’ electoral system, wherein the candidate receiving the most votes in a constituency wins. This means that a candidate can win without securing even 50 per cent of the total votes (like Gurmat won despite getting only 12 out of the 33 votes).
After the voting process is completed, the process of government formation begins. The political party or coalition winning a majority of the seats in the Lok Sabha forms the national government. The leader of this majority typically becomes the prime minister. Similarly, at the state level, the leader of the majority party becomes the chief minister.
As we saw in the Figure, the State Election Commission is a part of the election apparatus. It plays an important role not only in general and state elections but also in conducting elections to local bodies at the grassroots level. It works in consultation with the ECI in these matters, and the universal adult franchise, and all other Constitutional provisions applicable in the case of direct elections by the people are pertinent here too.
Election to the Rajya Sabha
The candidates elected to the Rajya Sabha are also known as Members of Parliament (MPs), but they are chosen through indirect elections. Let us revisit the example of Suryodaya School. Imagine that the school is setting up a special council at the school level. If the members of this council are elected by the class representatives, it would be an indirect election. Of the 245 members of the Rajya Sabha, 233 are elected by the elected members of the state legislative assemblies (MLAs), while the President of India nominates 12. Each state is allotted a different number of Rajya Sabha seats based on population. For example, more populous states like Uttar Pradesh have more seats than less populous states like Arunachal Pradesh.
The Rajya Sabha is also called the Permanent House; it is never dissolved. A member of the Rajya Sabha has a six-year term. One-third of its members retire every two years, and new members are elected. There is a difference, however, in the voting process. It uses what is called a ‘single transferable vote system’. This is a special way of ensuring that smaller states also get fair representation in the Rajya Sabha. You will learn more about the exact mechanism of how this works in higher classes.
Election of the President of India
The President of India is not directly elected by the common people. Instead, an electoral college is formed to carry out the election. This Electoral College consists of:
- Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the houses of the Parliament – Lok Sabha (Lower House) and the Rajya Sabha (Upper House).
- Members of the Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) from each of India’s states and the union territories of Delhi and Puducherry
The single transferable vote system is followed in this election. Since the president represents the whole country, this method ensures the support of both the central and state governments. The rules for voting and counting are very elaborate; the more populous states have a greater say. (We need not go into the details at this stage.) The following group of people is not involved in electing the President of India:
- Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha (12)
- Nominated members of State Legislative Assemblies
- Members of the Legislative Councils (both elected and nominated) in bicameral legislatures
- Nominated members of the union territories of Delhi and Puducherry
It is because this ensures that only directly elected representatives vote to elect the President. This maintains democratic legitimacy, as the President is meant to represent the will of the people, indirectly but meaningfully.
Election of the Vice President of India
The Vice President of India is elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected and nominated members of both Houses of Parliament; again, the system of single transferable vote is used. The vice president is the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. If there are situations when the president is not able to discharge their function, the vice president steps in to play the role.
Challenges and The Road Ahead Class 8 Notes
India’s electoral system is celebrated as the world’s largest democratic exercise. However, like all systems, it faces its share of challenges. Issues such as the growing influence of money in elections, a significant proportion of candidates with criminal records, and voter apathy (particularly in urban areas), raise important questions about the health and future of our democracy. The way forward lies in empowering voters with the information they need to make thoughtful and responsible choices. Media, education, and awareness campaigns must work together to help people, especially the youth, understand the importance of voting wisely. An aware and vigilant voter is the strongest safeguard of a democratic system. It starts with asking the right questions and ends with casting a responsible vote.
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