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Elections – Class 9 Social Science Chapter 7 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 9Social ScienceChapter 7NCERT book: Understanding Society: India and Beyond - Social Science Class 9

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 7 of the NCERT Class 9 Social Science book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Chapter 7: Elections

The Big Questions

  • Why are elections essential to a democratic system?
  • How do electoral systems and rules shape political representation and fairness?
  • What role do institutions and laws play in ensuring free and fair elections?
  • What challenges do elections face in practice, and how can these challenges affect democracy?

    • Introduction

    Regular, periodic elections lie at the core of democracy. Could Gurmat stay class representative in Grade 9 without a fresh election? Could a government continue beyond its term, or would a one-party election give real choice? No — elected representatives must face the people again, and our vote is how we hold them accountable.

  • Direct elections — citizens choose representatives: Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and local bodies, every five years.
  • Indirect elections — representatives choose: President, Vice President and Rajya Sabha.
    • Psephology — the scientific study of elections, from Greek psēphos ('pebble'), because pebbles were used for voting in ancient Greece.

    Key Concepts

    1. The Electoral System

    The Constitution-makers 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.

    The book compares three imaginary countries:

  • Haritbhumi (FPTP, 25 seats): the candidate with the most votes wins, even with less than 50%. Party A (40%) forms the government.
  • Ratnadweep (Majority system, 25 seats): a winner needs more than 50%; otherwise the top two face a second round. Party Y wins round 2 with 55%.
  • Swarnalok (Proportional Representation, 100 seats): people vote for a party; seats follow vote share — M 40, N 35, O 15, P 10. Power is shared.

    • Bicameral states: Six states have a Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) as well as a Vidhan Sabha — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. Vidhan Parishad members are elected by MLAs, local bodies, graduates and teachers (some nominated by the Governor), using the single transferable vote (STV).

    STV quota: Quota = (Total valid votes ÷ (Seats to be filled + 1)) + 1.

    Worked example: 1,200 valid votes, 2 seats → 1,200 ÷ 3 = 400 → quota = 401 votes. Candidates reaching the quota win; the lowest candidate is eliminated and their votes pass to the next preference until all seats are filled.

    2. The Laws

  • Representation of the People Act, 1950 — allocation of seats, delimitation, preparing and revising electoral rolls, the right of every citizen 18+ to vote.
  • Representation of the People Act, 1951 — nomination, campaigns, voting, disputes, and electoral offences and corrupt practices (e.g. gifts or promises to influence votes; appeals based on religion, caste, race, community or language; taking help from government officials, police or armed forces).
  • Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952.

    • 3. Delimitation Commission

    Constituency boundaries change with population so that one MP does not represent 5 lakh people while another represents 25 lakh. Article 82 mandates a Delimitation Commission; India has had four — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002.

    4. Election Commission of India (ECI)

    An autonomous, permanent constitutional body set up on 25 January 1950 (Articles 324–329). It conducts elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, Vidhan Parishad, President and Vice President. At state level, the Chief Electoral Officer supervises, helped by District Election Officers, Returning Officers and Electoral Registration Officers.

    What the ECI does:

  • Prepares electoral rolls and runs Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — adding new 18-year-old voters and removing names for death, change of residence, duplicate entry or being permanently untraceable.
  • Decides the schedule — considering weather, farming seasons, exams and festivals.
  • Registers parties and allots symbols; recognises national and state parties; acts as a quasi-judicial body in symbol disputes.
  • Ensures free, fair and inclusive elections — home voting for senior citizens above 85 and PwDs with 40% benchmark disability, extended across India for the first time in the 2024 General Elections; EVMs with Braille.
  • Digital tools: ETPBS (postal ballots for service voters), ERONET, Suvidha (for candidates), Voter Helpline App, Saksham (for PwDs), Sugam (vehicles), cVIGIL (report Model Code of Conduct violations).
  • International Election Visitors' Programme — MoUs with 28 election bodies and 3 international organisations (IFES, International IDEA, United Nations).
    • 25 January is National Voters' Day.

    5. Political Parties

    Parties organise public opinion, campaign on issues, offer voters choices and help them decide. The winning party forms the government; the opposition keeps it accountable.

  • Defection — leaving the party on whose ticket one was elected.
  • Anti-Defection Law (1985, 52nd Amendment): a member who gives up party membership or votes against the party whip can be disqualified; the Speaker or Chairman decides.

    • Recognition criteria (any one condition):

  • National party: 6% of valid votes in 4+ states and 4 Lok Sabha seats; or 2% of Lok Sabha seats from at least 3 states; or recognised as a state party in 4 states.
  • State party: 6% of votes in the Assembly election + 2 Assembly seats; 6% in the Lok Sabha election from the state + 1 Lok Sabha seat; 3% of Assembly seats or 3 seats (whichever is more); 1 Lok Sabha seat for every 25 allotted to the state; or 8% of valid votes.
  • Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPP) — too few votes, or never contested.

    • Coalitions: 1967 ended single-party dominance in many states; in 1977 the Janata Party formed the first national coalition government; since the late 1990s, NDA (led by BJP) and UPA (led by INC) have been the main alliances.

    6. Challenges

    Misinformation, fake news and intimidation — tackled through the RPAs, the Model Code of Conduct, EVMs, VVPAT and voter-awareness campaigns.

    Think About It

  • You will soon turn 18 — what documents and steps are needed to register as a voter?
  • Which ECI function matters most for free and fair elections, and why?

    • Key Terms

  • Direct election (प्रत्यक्ष चुनाव)
  • Indirect election (अप्रत्यक्ष चुनाव)
  • First-Past-The-Post (सर्वाधिक मत से जीत प्रणाली)
  • Proportional representation (आनुपातिक प्रतिनिधित्व)
  • Single transferable vote (एकल संक्रमणीय मत)
  • Delimitation (परिसीमन)
  • Electoral roll (मतदाता सूची)
  • Constituency (निर्वाचन क्षेत्र)
  • Defection (दल-बदल)
  • Whip (सचेतक का निर्देश)
  • Model Code of Conduct (आदर्श आचार संहिता)
  • Psephology (चुनाव विज्ञान)

    • Connect to Today

    Look up your constituency and polling station on the Voter Helpline App; note how cVIGIL lets citizens report violations.

    Common Mistakes

  • Saying the Rajya Sabha is directly elected — it is indirect, by proportional representation.
  • Assuming FPTP needs over 50% — it needs only the most votes; the >50% rule is the majority system.
  • Confusing the 1950 Act (rolls, seats, delimitation) with the 1951 Act (conduct of elections, corrupt practices).
  • Writing that the ECI was set up on 26 January 1950 — it was 25 January 1950.

    • Questions and Activities — Hints

  • Inclusion measures: home voting (85+, PwDs), Braille EVMs, Saksham app, ETPBS for service voters.
  • National vs state parties: compare the recognition criteria above.
  • "Elections are the soul of democracy": link to accountability, legitimacy, representation and equality.

    • 💡 Key Learning Points

    • ✓Periodic elections keep representatives accountable; Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and local bodies are directly elected, while the President, Vice President and Rajya Sabha are indirectly elected.
    • ✓India uses FPTP for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas and proportional representation (STV) for the Rajya Sabha, President, Vice President and Vidhan Parishads.
    • ✓The RPA 1950, RPA 1951, the Delimitation Commission (Article 82) and the ECI (est. 25 January 1950, Articles 324–329) together keep elections free and fair.
    • ✓The ECI prepares electoral rolls (SIR), sets schedules, registers parties and symbols, and uses inclusive measures and apps like Saksham and cVIGIL.
    • ✓Political parties, anti-defection rules and recognition criteria shape representation, while fake news and intimidation remain challenges.

    👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

    • →Run a class election three ways (FPTP, two-round majority, proportional) with the same votes and compare who wins.
    • →Work through the STV quota formula with a small example on the board, then let students invent their own.
    • →Show the Voter Helpline, Saksham and cVIGIL apps (or screenshots) and discuss who each one helps.
    • →Ask pairs to compare two party manifestos on education, health and environment using the book's poster activity.
    • →Draw a flowchart: citizens → parties → campaigns → winning party/opposition → accountability.
    • →Make a 'myth or fact' card game on common confusions (FPTP vs majority, RPA 1950 vs 1951).
    • →Invite a first-time voter to talk about registration, linking to the Think About It box.

    📋 Assessment Questions

    1. Can the student distinguish direct and indirect elections and name the offices under each?
    2. Can the student explain FPTP, majority and proportional systems using the Haritbhumi–Ratnadweep–Swarnalok example?
    3. Can the student calculate an STV quota correctly?
    4. Can the student list the main functions of the ECI and at least two inclusion initiatives?
    5. Can the student explain defection and the Anti-Defection Law?

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    Keep learning

    All chapters in Understanding Society: India and Beyond - Social Science Class 9

    1. 1. Understanding Social Science
    2. 2. Shaping of the Earth’s Surface
    3. 3. Atmosphere and Climate
    4. 4. Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation
    5. 5. State and Society up to 1000 CE
    6. 6. Democracy
    7. 7. Elections
    8. 8. Building Blocks in Economics: The Problem of Choice
    9. 9. The Price Puzzle: What Drives the Market