Class 9 Social Science Chapter 7, Elections, explains why regular elections sit at the core of democracy and how India’s election machinery works, from direct and indirect elections to the laws, institutions and parties involved.
What Class 9 Social Science Chapter 7 Covers
Why elections matter: regular, periodic elections are the core of democracy. Voting is both a constitutional right and a duty, and representatives can be chosen directly or indirectly.
The electoral system: the Constitution’s framers chose the plurality or First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas. The Rajya Sabha, President and Vice President are elected by proportional representation. Six states (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh) have two houses.
The laws: the Representation of the People Act, 1950 covers seats, delimitation, electoral rolls and the right of every citizen above 18 to vote. The Act of 1951 covers nominations, campaigns, voting and disputes. A separate Act of 1952 covers presidential and vice-presidential elections.
Delimitation: constituency boundaries are redrawn as population shifts so that one MP does not represent five lakh people while another represents twenty-five lakh.
The Election Commission of India: an autonomous, permanent constitutional body set up on 25 January 1950 under Articles 324–329. It runs elections to Parliament, state legislatures and the offices of President and Vice President. With 96.8 crore eligible voters in 2024, it relies on technology: EVMs with Braille, VVPAT, the cVIGIL app for reporting Model Code violations, ERONET for electoral rolls, and Sugam for managing election vehicles. Senior citizens can also vote from home.
Parties and challenges: political parties set the agenda and inform voters about candidates. Misinformation and other threats to free and fair elections are met with VVPAT, voter-awareness campaigns and active citizens.
Exercises in Chapter 7
- Questions and activities at the end of the chapter, after a Before we move on… recap.
Read Class 9 Social Science Chapter 7 Online
More Chapters
- Previous: Chapter 6: Democracy
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FAQ
Which electoral system does India use for the Lok Sabha?
The First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) or plurality system; the Rajya Sabha, President and Vice President are elected by proportional representation.
When was the Election Commission of India set up?
On 25 January 1950, as a permanent constitutional body under Articles 324 to 329.
What is delimitation?
Redrawing the number and boundaries of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha constituencies as population changes, so representation stays equal.