Civics Polity · General Awareness

Elections and Electoral Systems

2,969 Questions

Elections and electoral systems encompass voting methods, gerrymandering, and proportional representation. This hub covers party conventions, the Election Commission of India, and electoral processes. It is an important section for UPSC, state PSC, and civics polity preparation.

Gerrymandering and boundariesElectoral College systemProportional representationElection Commission of IndiaVoting systems and ballots

Elections and Electoral Systems Questions

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

Till 1990, a person was eligible to vote for Panchayat elections and not eligible to vote for Lok Sabha election. What would be the reason?

  1. The person may not have registered his name in the electorate

  2. The age limit for voting was different for local body and parliament elections

  3. The person might not have required educational qualification

  4. The person might be residing in a state other than his native state
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In Gram Panchayat elections, all the villagers who are 18 years or more in age can vote. The villagers who are 21 years or more can contest the elections on fulfilling other requirements.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

For the Minority Representation which of the following method is adopted?

  1. Proportional Representation System

  2. Separate Electorate System

  3. Joint Electorate with Reservation of seats system

  4. All the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. India’s Upper House election (Rajya Sabha) is actually based on Proportional Representation System. In Separate Electorate System, the community to which the electorate belongs would choose their own leaders via an election in which the candidates of only their community would be allowed to contest and only their community members would vote. In Reservation of Seats, the candidates in the election can belong only to a particular community for which it is reserved.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

Which of these is not a condition of a democratic election?

  1. Everyone is allowed to vote.

  2. There are political parties to contest elections.

  3. The candidate not preferred by people gets elected.

  4. Elections are held at regular intervals.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Following are the essential conditions of democratic elections: 

  1. Everyone should have one vote and each vote should have equal value.
  2. Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections and should offer some real choice to the voters.
  3. Elections must be held regularly after few years.
  4. The candidate preferred by the people should get elected.
  5. Elections should be conducted in a free and fair atmosphere.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

Election is a procedure whereby the leaders are chosen ____________.

  1. By selection

  2. By promotion

  3. By voting

  4. By defection
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

An election is a formal and organized process by which a population chooses through voting an individual to hold political office. Elections are the integral part and foundation of modern representative democracy since the 17th century.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

In the elections, there are winners and losers.

  1. True

  2. False
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

An election is a process where people vote in order to choose their representative person or group of persons to hold public office. The person or group of persons who get the majority of the votes from people become the winner of elections while the others getting fewer votes to become losers.

Multiple choice political science how the state government works election in indian democracy working of state government the electoral process

Each state is divided into different areas or __________ for electoral purposes.

  1. Constituencies

  2. Franchises

  3. Political parties

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A constituency is an electoral unit into which eligible electors are organized to elect representatives to a legislative or another public body. In India, each constituency elects one representative each to each Houses of Parliament and State Legislature. The size and shape of the parliamentary constituencies are determined by an independent Delimitation Commission, which aims to create constituencies which have roughly the same population, subject to geographical considerations and the boundaries of the states and administrative areas.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

Who identifies eligible voters in each constituency and prepares the list of all eligible voters?

  1. Revenue Department

  2. Police Department

  3. Rural Development Department

  4. Election Commission of India
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Election Commission of India, as an autonomous constitutional authority, administers the election processes in India. It allows symbols to the political parties. It gives recognition to the national parties, state parties, and regional parties. The commission formulates electoral rolls and updates the voter's list from time to time.

Multiple choice political science how the state government works election in indian democracy working of state government the electoral process

___________ is a particular area from where all the voters living there choose their representatives.

  1. Constituency

  2. Franchise

  3. Political party

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The country has been divided into 543 Parliamentary Constituencies, each of which returns one MP to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament. The size and shape of the parliamentary constituencies are determined by an independent Delimitation Commission, which aims to create constituencies which have roughly the same population, subject to geographical considerations and the boundaries of the states and administrative areas.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

In the election of the President, each Member of the Electoral College has _____________.

  1. One vote

  2. As many votes as there are candidate

  3. One vote with value attached to it

  4. One vote with value attached to it and he can give as many preferences as there are candidates
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the Indian Presidential election, the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote is used. Each elector has one vote, but the value of that vote varies, and they can mark preferences for candidates.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

An election was held in 1969. The member in a constituency resigned in 1971. The election for that constituency was held within 6 months. What is that election called?

  1. General election

  2. By election

  3. Mid-term election

  4. No Name
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

By-elections are elections used to fill elected offices that have become vacant between general elections. These offices become vacant because the incumbent becomes ineligible to continue in office or dies or resigns.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

Elections are all about ________________.

  1. Campaign

  2. Casting of vote

  3. Political parties

  4. Political competition
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Elections are conducted in democratic polity. The major participants that are political parties compete with each other to get to power by winning people's confidence and to allure them to get majority of votes. It is the healthy political competition that keeps the spirit if democratic nations alive but when it gets to reed the political parties tend to do everything in their power to attract people and get their votes.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

Identify the option who are not entitled to vote in Saudi Arabia.

  1. Men

  2. Women

  3. Minorities

  4. Indigeneous people
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In Saudi Arabia, women are still struggling to get rights equivalent to that of women. There are several rights and privileges that are denied to women such as political freedom of the right to vote.

Multiple choice political science the electoral process election in indian democracy how the state government works working of state government

In the elections, the voters make many choices. 
The following is not the choice which they make:

  1. They choose who will be their prime minister

  2. They choose who will make laws for them

  3. They choose who will form government for them

  4. They choose the political party whose policies will guide the government
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Option a is false 

The Prime Minister is elected by the elected members of Lok Sabha among themselves i.e. the Prime Minister needs to be the Member of Lok Sabha as well. If a candidate gets more than 50% support then he becomes the Prime Minister of the nation.