Universal Franchise and India's Electoral System — Hard

Q1. Read the two statements and choose the correct option. Statement I: 'Franchise' means a right granted by the constitution or government. Statement II: 'Suffrage' is another term used as a synonym of franchise.

• A. Only Statement I is correct.
• B. Only Statement II is correct.
• C. Both Statement I and Statement II are correct.
• D. Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect.

Q2. Assertion (A): Indian franchise is described as 'universal' adult franchise. Reason (R): No exception, of any kind, can ever stop an Indian adult citizen from exercising the vote.

• 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, R is false.
• D. A is false, R is true.

Q3. Ravi, aged 19, lives and works in Pune but his name is on the voter list of his home constituency in Lucknow. On polling day for Pune's Lok Sabha seat, he goes to a Pune booth and is refused a ballot. The chapter explains this because

• A. He must be registered as a voter in the constituency where he wishes to vote.
• B. He is below the minimum voting age.
• C. Only female voters can vote in Pune.
• D. The Lok Sabha does not allow first-time voters.

Q4. India's eligible-voter population is fifteen times that of the United Kingdom, and India's area is six times that of France. The chapter uses these comparisons primarily to

• A. Argue that India should copy the UK and French electoral systems.
• B. Show that India's elections need to be organised taking enormous scale and diversity into account.
• C. Prove that India has the largest population in Europe.
• D. Explain why India lowered the voting age in 1988.

Q5. Using the data in Fig. 5.12 and the pie chart what percentage of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies remain as general (unreserved) seats? (Round to the nearest whole number.)

• A. Approximately 9 per cent
• B. Approximately 15 per cent
• C. Approximately 76 per cent
• D. Approximately 100 per cent

Q6. Match the ECI post (List I) with its main function (List II) as shown in Fig. 5.11. List I: P. Chief Electoral Officer Q. District Election Officer R. Returning Officer S. Electoral Registration Officer List II: 1. Conducts elections 2. Manages voter list 3. Heads ECI work in a state / UT 4. Heads ECI work at the district level

• A. P–3, Q–4, R–1, S–2
• B. P–1, Q–2, R–3, S–4
• C. P–4, Q–3, R–2, S–1
• D. P–2, Q–1, R–4, S–3

Q7. Consider the following about the Election Commission of India : I. It conducts elections to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. II. It conducts elections to the State Legislative Assemblies. III. It conducts elections to the offices of the President and the Vice President. IV. It conducts elections to the gram panchayats. Which of the above are correct?

• A. I, II and III only
• B. II, III and IV only
• C. I, II and IV only
• D. All of I, II, III and IV

Q8. Place the following polling-booth steps in the correct order, as given in Fig. 5.13 I. Press the button on the EVM and check the slip in VVPAT. II. The 1st polling officer checks the voter's name and ID. III. The 3rd polling officer takes the chit and checks the finger. IV. The 2nd polling officer inks the finger, gives a chit and takes the signature.

• A. II → IV → III → I
• B. I → II → III → IV
• C. II → III → IV → I
• D. IV → II → I → III

Q9. Assertion (A): NOTA on the EVM allows voters to reject all candidates if they are not satisfied with any of them. Reason (R): If NOTA receives the highest number of votes in a constituency, the election there is cancelled and re-held.

• 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, R is false.
• D. A is false, R is true.

Q10. Fig. 5.15 caption notes that Shyam Saran Negi, a school teacher in Himachal Pradesh, was the first voter in India's general elections of 1951. Why is the chapter highlighting him in a chapter on universal franchise?

• A. To show that only school teachers can act as polling officers.
• B. To celebrate a long-living citizen who exercised the vote from the very first general elections and right up to old age.
• C. To prove that Himachal Pradesh has the highest voter turnout in India.
• D. To explain how voter IDs were first introduced.

Q11. Read the statements about the Electoral College for the President of India and choose the correct option. Statement I: Elected MPs of both Houses of Parliament and elected MLAs of states and the UTs of Delhi and Puducherry are part of the Electoral College. Statement II: Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha and nominated members of State Legislative Assemblies are NOT part of the Electoral College.

• A. Only Statement I is correct.
• B. Only Statement II is correct.
• C. Both Statement I and Statement II are correct.
• D. Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect.

Q12. Which of the following statements about the Vice President of India is NOT correct, according to?

• A. The Vice President is elected by an Electoral College of elected and nominated members of both Houses of Parliament.
• B. The system of single transferable vote is used for the Vice Presidential election.
• C. The Vice President is the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
• D. The Vice President is directly elected by the citizens through universal adult franchise.

Q13. Fig. 5.22 distinguishes MPs from MLAs. Which pairing is correct?

• A. MPs sit in state assemblies and focus on regional issues; MLAs sit in Parliament and focus on national issues.
• B. MPs represent us in the national Parliament; MLAs represent us in the state assembly.
• C. MPs are nominated by the President; MLAs are nominated by the Governor.
• D. MPs are elected through indirect election; MLAs are elected through indirect election.

Q14. Arrange the following milestones of the Model Code of Conduct in correct chronological order, using. I. The Model Code of Conduct is adopted in Kerala. II. The ECI circulates the Code to political parties during the general elections. III. T.N. Seshan becomes Chief Election Commissioner. IV. The ECI becomes proactive in ensuring observance of the MCC.

• A. I → II → III → IV
• B. II → I → IV → III
• C. I → III → II → IV
• D. III → I → II → IV

Q15. ('Challenges and The Road Ahead') and the 'Let's Explore' together identify which of the following as challenges to India's electoral system? I. Growing influence of money in elections. II. A significant proportion of candidates with criminal records. III. Voter apathy, particularly in urban areas. IV. The use of EVMs and VVPATs in polling.

• A. I, II and IV only
• B. I, II and III only
• C. II, III and IV only
• D. All four