Chapter 5: Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System
1. Universal adult franchise in India means:
(a) Only literate citizens can vote
(b) Every citizen above 18 years has one vote of equal value irrespective of caste, creed, religion or gender
(c) Only men above 21 can vote
(d) Voting rights are decided by the state government
2. The constitutional article that provides for universal adult franchise is:
(a) Article 324 (b) Article 326 (c) Article 330 (d) Article 356
3. Which of the following is not organised by the Election Commission of India?
(a) Lok Sabha elections (b) Elections to Gram Panchayats (c) Election of the President of India (d) Elections to State Legislative Assemblies
4. In India’s First-Past-the-Post system:
(a) A candidate must secure more than 50% votes to win
(b) The candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency wins
(c) Seats are allocated in proportion to votes received
(d) Only parties with majority form the government
5. Assertion (A): Universal adult franchise is called the cornerstone of Indian democracy.
Reason (R): It ensures that every adult citizen has an equal right to vote without discrimination and can participate in choosing representatives.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
6. The Model Code of Conduct is enforced by:
(a) The Parliament (b) The Election Commission of India (c) The Supreme Court (d) The State Government
7. Assertion (A): Rajya Sabha is called the Permanent House.
Reason (R): One-third of its members retire every two years and it is never dissolved.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
8. NOTA stands for:
(a) National Option for Transparent Accountability
(b) None Of The Above
(c) New Option for Transparent Administration
(d) National Organisation for Transparent Elections
9. How many Lok Sabha constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Castes?
(a) 47 (b) 84 (c) 131 (d) 543
10. Which body conducts elections to urban local bodies and gram panchayats?
(a) Election Commission of India (b) State Election Commission (c) District Election Officer (d) Returning Officer
11. Define universal adult franchise.
12. What is a constituency?
13. State any two functions of the Election Commission of India.
14. What is the Model Code of Conduct?
15. Identify the difference between direct and indirect elections with one example each from the chapter.
16. What is the purpose of VVPAT?
17. Explain any three reasons why universal adult franchise is important in a democracy.
18. Compare the election of members to the Lok Sabha with the election of members to the Rajya Sabha.
19. Give reasons why the Constitution makers adopted universal adult franchise from the very beginning despite low literacy rates in 1947.
20. Describe the role of the Election Commission of India in ensuring free and fair elections.
21. Why are some seats in the Lok Sabha reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes? Explain with reference to the chapter.
22. Analyse the causes and significance of accessibility measures taken by the Election Commission of India during elections. How do these measures strengthen democracy?
23. “India’s electoral system faces several challenges.” Discuss the challenges mentioned in the chapter and explain the road ahead suggested by the text.
24. Explain the process of voting for Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Highlight the role of EVM, VVPAT and the Model Code of Conduct in this process.
25. Read the source and answer the questions that follow:
“[India] adopted the principle of adult franchise with an abundant faith in the common man and the ultimate success of democratic rule…never before in the history of the world has such an experiment been so boldly undertaken.” – Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, November 1949, Constituent Assembly Debates
(a) What does the source describe about India’s decision on franchise? (1)
(b) Which principle of democracy is highlighted in the source? (1)
(c) Why was this decision considered bold according to the chapter? (1)
(d) How does the chapter show that India was progressive in granting voting rights to women? (1)
26. Read the source and answer the questions that follow:
“Over 968 million voters were eligible to exercise their franchise for the 543 constituencies of the Lok Sabha.”
(a) What does the figure 968 million refer to? (1)
(b) How many parliamentary constituencies are there in India? (1)
(c) Why does the chapter describe managing such elections as a “mammoth task”? (1)
(d) Mention any one measure taken by the ECI to handle the scale of these elections. (1)
1. (b)
2. (b)
3. (b)
4. (b)
5. (a)
6. (b)
7. (a)
8. (b)
9. (b)
10. (b)
11. Every adult citizen aged 18 and above has the right to one vote of equal value irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion, gender, education or income. (2 marks)
12. A constituency is an area whose voters elect a representative to a legislative body. (2 marks)
13. Any two: setting election dates, enforcing Model Code of Conduct, registering political parties, overseeing the electoral process. (1+1)
14. A set of rules listing dos and don’ts for political parties and candidates to ensure free and fair elections. (2 marks)
15. Direct: Lok Sabha/State Assembly elections (people vote directly). Indirect: Rajya Sabha/President elections (elected representatives vote). (1+1)
16. VVPAT produces a paper slip allowing voters to verify that their electronic vote was cast correctly. (2 marks)
17. Any three points: ensures equality, gives power to determine future, makes representatives answerable, fosters civic engagement, no discrimination. (1 mark each)
18. Lok Sabha: direct election by people using First-Past-the-Post. Rajya Sabha: indirect election by MLAs using single transferable vote; permanent house. (3 marks – any three valid comparison points)
19. Any three: faith in common man, democratic values rooted in ancient traditions, to avoid discrimination on basis of education/literacy, ensure everyone’s voice matters. (1 mark each)
20. Any three: organises elections, enforces Model Code of Conduct, registers parties, manages voter lists, ensures accessibility. (1 mark each)
21. To give representation to historically disadvantaged groups; 84 seats reserved for SCs and 47 for STs so that their concerns are addressed in Parliament. (3 marks)
22. Causes: large population, geographic diversity, need to include elderly, persons with disabilities. Significance: increases participation, upholds equality, strengthens democracy by leaving no voter behind. (5 marks – any five points)
23. Challenges: influence of money, candidates with criminal records, voter apathy. Road ahead: voter awareness, information, education, vigilant voters. (5 marks – any five points)
24. Steps of voting process, use of EVM with VVPAT, NOTA option, Model Code of Conduct ensures peaceful polling and prevents misuse of government resources. (5 marks – any five points)
25. (a) India adopted universal adult franchise with faith in common people. (b) Universal adult franchise / equality in voting. (c) Never before attempted on such a large scale. (d) India granted women voting rights from the beginning, unlike many countries (e.g., Switzerland in 1971).
26. (a) Number of eligible voters in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (b) 543. (c) Huge numbers – 968 million voters, over 1 million polling stations. (d) Any one: EVMs, postal voting for elderly/disabled, assistive technologies, large deployment of staff.
All questions are answerable from the NCERT chapter text. Reviewed by GFIS faculty.