Electoral Politics – Case-based Questions with Answers
Class 9 • Social Science
Political Science — Democratic Politics I: Chapter 3 — Electoral Politics
20 Case-Based Questions — Why elections | India’s electoral system | What makes elections democratic
NCERT-aligned • CBSE exam standard
Case-based practice for comprehension and application
CBSE Board Examinations (Systematic order):
- Read the case carefully and identify linked concepts.
- Answer using NCERT terms and relevant examples.
- Structure answers: definition, explanation, and short conclusion.
Topic A — Why elections? (Cases 1–4)
Scenario 1: In the town of Sundarpur voters feel their local concerns are ignored. Many demand a change of leadership after promises of better sanitation and schools were not met.
Q1. What democratic mechanism can the people of Sundarpur use to hold their leaders accountable? (2 marks)
A1. They can use elections to vote out the incumbent representatives. Regular elections enable accountability by allowing voters to punish poor performance and elect new leaders.
Scenario 2: Two rival groups in a district have clashed over resource sharing. Instead of violence, the central administration schedules local council elections.
Q2. Explain how elections can help resolve such conflicts peacefully. (3 marks)
A2. Elections offer a peaceful means to channel competing interests; elected representatives negotiate and form policies, reducing the incentive for violent confrontation and providing institutional avenues for grievance redressal.
Scenario 3: A voter says, "My single vote does not matter." Many share this view, leading to low turnout in a constituency.
Q3. How would you counter this belief using concepts from the chapter? (3 marks)
A3. Emphasise 'one person, one vote' — each vote contributes to aggregate outcomes. High turnout strengthens representativeness; even small margins can change results in FPTP, so one vote can be decisive.
Scenario 4: During a national campaign, parties present different manifestos on employment and education.
Q4. Why is such choice important for democracy? (2 marks)
A4. Choice allows voters to select policies and leaders that align with their preferences, promoting competition, policy innovation and accountability.
Topic B — Our system of elections (Cases 5–10)
Scenario 5: A 19-year-old college student wishes to vote for the first time but is unsure how to register.
Q5. Outline the steps the student should take to be included in the electoral roll. (3 marks)
A5. The student must apply for voter registration online or at the local electoral office, provide identity and address proof, get verification done, and await inclusion in the updated electoral roll; ECI's voter helpline and drives assist young voters.
Scenario 6: In a constituency, candidate A wins with 30% votes while others split remaining votes.
Q6. Explain how the First-Past-The-Post system produced this result and one criticism of it. (3 marks)
A6. In FPTP, the candidate with the largest vote share wins even without majority; criticism: it can produce representatives who lack majority support and leads to disproportionate seat-vote ratios.
Scenario 7: A remote village's constituency boundaries were redrawn, affecting which MP represents them.
Q7. What is this process called and why is it necessary? (3 marks)
A7. Delimitation — redrawing constituency boundaries to reflect population changes ensures equal representation and prevents over- or under-representation of areas.
Scenario 8: During polling, a voter is concerned their choice may be known to others at the booth.
Q8. Which electoral principle safeguards the voter here? Explain briefly. (2 marks)
A8. The secret ballot protects voter privacy; it prevents coercion and vote-buying by keeping individual choices confidential.
Scenario 9: The ECI announces a state-wide election schedule and issues guidelines to parties about conduct.
Q9. Name and describe the code that governs party behaviour during this period. (3 marks)
A9. The Model Code of Conduct — a set of guidelines restricting misuse of official machinery, prohibiting inflammatory rhetoric and ensuring a level playing field during elections.
Scenario 10: A voter wants to verify their vote after using an EVM; what provision helps with this? (2 marks)
A10. VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) prints a slip showing the chosen candidate, enabling the voter to verify their vote and providing a paper record for audits.
Topic C — What makes elections democratic? (Cases 11–15)
Scenario 11: A local newspaper reveals that some officials used government resources to support a ruling party's campaign.
Q11. Which democratic principle is being violated and how can ECI respond? (3 marks)
A11. Violates free and fair contest (misuse of official machinery). ECI can enforce the Model Code, issue notices, order withdrawal of advertisements, and, if needed, recommend actions against officials.
Scenario 12: In an area, many voters cannot read candidate manifestos and rely on word-of-mouth to decide.
Q12. Suggest two measures to improve informed voting here. (3 marks)
A12. Voter education programmes in local languages and public debates/meetings where candidates explain policies; use of radio/visual aids to reach semi-literate voters.
Scenario 13: A small party receives 15% votes nationwide but wins very few seats.
Q13. Explain why proportionality between votes and seats may not hold in India. (3 marks)
A13. Due to FPTP and single-member constituencies, seat allocation depends on localized majorities; a party with significant but evenly spread support may win few constituencies, leading to disproportionality.
Scenario 14: Observers note that polling booths in a few areas lack ramps, preventing elderly and disabled from voting easily.
Q14. Which democratic value is affected and what remedy should be implemented? (2 marks)
A14. Equality of access is affected. Remedy: Ensure polling station accessibility—ramps, seating, and priority queues for elderly/disabled as mandated by ECI.
Scenario 15: A citizen files an election petition claiming malpractice during counting.
Q15. Which institution will adjudicate this and why is this important? (3 marks)
A15. Courts (Election Tribunals/High Courts) adjudicate disputes. Judicial review ensures rule of law, corrects illegal practices and upholds electoral legitimacy.
Topic D — Institutions, Challenges & Reforms (Cases 16–20)
Scenario 16: Reports suggest that money was used to buy votes in a ward before polling day.
Q16. Identify the malpractice and suggest two legal/administrative steps to combat it. (3 marks)
A16. Malpractice: Vote-buying (bribery). Steps: Strict enforcement of electoral laws, seizure of illicit cash/benefits, prosecution of offenders; increase ECI monitoring and awareness campaigns.
Scenario 17: A leading candidate has a pending corruption case but is still contesting elections.
Q17. Discuss how criminalisation of politics affects elections and one reform to address it. (4 marks)
A17. Effect: Erodes public trust, may enable misuse of power. Reform: Fast-track courts for MPs/MLAs, stricter disclosure of criminal records, and clear disqualification rules for serious offences.
Scenario 18: False news about polling timings circulates on social media, causing confusion.
Q18. What steps can election authorities take to prevent misinformation? (3 marks)
A18. Authorities can issue timely official notices, use social media verification channels, collaborate with platforms for takedowns, and run informational campaigns to correct falsehoods.
Scenario 19: Youth turnout is low in urban constituencies despite easy registration.
Q19. Propose two measures to improve youth participation. (3 marks)
A19. Measures: Targeted outreach through colleges, convenient polling timings/booth locations, digital campaigns and youth-focused civic education programmes.
Scenario 20: After an election, civil society groups conduct audits comparing EVM counts with VVPAT slips in select booths.
Q20. Explain the significance of this practice and its impact on trust in elections. (3 marks)
A20. Comparing EVM results with VVPAT enhances transparency and confidence; audits deter fraud, provide evidence in disputes and increase public trust in electronic voting.
Note: These 20 case-based questions and answers are strictly aligned with NCERT Class 9 syllabus (Political Science — Democratic Politics I, Chapter 3: Electoral Politics). Use them for practice and application-based revision for CBSE board exams.