NCERT Solutions-Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System-Class 8 SST
1. Why
is universal
adult franchise important for a healthy democracy?
Answer:
·
Ensures
equality — every adult has the same voting right.
·
Represents
all sections of society in governance.
·
Reduces
discrimination in political participation.
·
Encourages citizen involvement in decision-making.
·
Strengthens
legitimacy of government.
2. What is the
meaning of ‘secret
ballot’? Why is this important in a democracy?
Answer: Meaning of ‘secret ballot’ & importance in a
democracy:
·
Meaning: A voting method where the voter’s
choice is kept private.
·
Importance:
o Prevents pressure or threats.
o Allows free and honest voting.
o Protects voter privacy.
o Ensures fairness in elections.
3. Give examples of direct
and indirect elections.
Answer: Examples of direct and indirect elections:
·
Direct election: People directly vote for their
representatives — e.g., Lok
Sabha elections, State
Assembly elections.
·
Indirect election: Representatives are elected by
other elected members — e.g., Rajya
Sabha elections, President
of India.
4. How is the election of members to the Lok Sabha
different from that to the Rajya Sabha?
Answer: Difference between election of Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha members:
·
Lok Sabha:
o Directly elected by people.
o Based on universal adult franchise.
o
Members serve 5 years.
·
Rajya Sabha:
o Indirectly elected by MLAs
of State Assemblies.
o
Represents states and union territories.
o Members serve 6 years (1/3rd retire
every 2 years).
5. What, in your
view, are the advantages of the EVM over paper
ballots?
Answer: Advantages of EVM over paper ballots:
·
Saves
time in voting and counting.
·
Reduces
paper usage, eco-friendly.
·
Minimises
chances of invalid votes.
·
Portable
and easy to use.
·
Less
chance of tampering compared to paper ballots.
6. Voter
turnout has been declining in some urban areas of India. What
could be the reasons for this trend, and what steps can be taken to encourage
more people to vote?
Answer: Reasons for declining voter
turnout in some urban areas & steps to improve:
·
Reasons:
o Lack of interest or political awareness.
o Busy lifestyles and work schedules.
o Feeling that one vote won’t make a
difference.
o Migration and voter list errors.
·
Steps:
o Voter awareness campaigns.
o Easy online voter registration.
o Voting on weekends/holidays.
o Mobile polling booths in certain areas.
7. Why do you
think a proportion of seats in the Lok Sabha is reserved for scheduled
castes and scheduled
tribes? Write a short note.
Answer: Reservation of seats for SCs and STs in Lok
Sabha:
·
Ensures
political representation for historically marginalised groups.
·
Provides
them a voice in law-making.
·
Helps
address social and economic inequalities.
·
Strengthens
inclusiveness in democracy.
8. Social
media is changing the way we experience elections — from catchy
campaign reels and live speeches to political debates on Instagram and Twitter.
But is this strengthening democracy or confusing it? Discuss in pairs: What are
the benefits, what are the challenges, and what might the future of elections
be in a digital age?
Answer: Social media & elections — Benefits,
challenges, future:
·
Benefits:
o Quick information sharing.
o Connects candidates and voters directly.
o Encourages youth participation.
·
Challenges:
o Spread of fake news.
o Biased or misleading content.
o Echo chambers reducing balanced debates.
·
Future:
o More digital campaigns and online voting
possibilities.
o Need for stricter fact-checking and
regulations.
9. Visit the
website https://www.indiavotes.com, and choose a parliamentary constituency
election from any year and explore its results. Do the same for an assembly
election in your state.
Answer: Indiavotes.com exercise
(Example)
(You will need to
actually visit the site to fill in real data — sample format below)
·
Parliamentary constituency chosen: [Name of Constituency]
o Year: [Year]
o Winner: [Name, Party]
o Total votes: [Number]
o Voter turnout: [Percentage]
·
Punjab Assembly constituency chosen: [Name of Constituency]
o Year: [Year]
o Winner: [Name, Party]
o Total votes: [Number]
o Voter turnout: [Percentage]
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