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KSEAB SSLC Political Science study materials
KSEAB SSLC Political Science study resources

KSEAB SSLC Political Science: Elections, Political Parties and Electoral Behaviour in India

KSEAB SSLC Political Science · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

Elections, Political Parties and Electoral Behaviour in India

What this domain tests

This section tests the machinery of elections, party systems and how voters behave. Expect questions on the Election Commission, adult franchise, NOTA, anti-defection and the first-past-the-post system.

Core rules

  • The Election Commission (Article 324) is an independent constitutional body. It supervises elections to Parliament, state legislatures and the offices of President and Vice-President. It prepares electoral rolls, registers parties and enforces the Model Code of Conduct.
  • The 61st Amendment (1988) lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. Elections use secret ballot and, in most constituencies, electronic voting machines with VVPAT.
  • India follows the first-past-the-post system: the candidate with the highest number of votes wins, even without a majority.
  • NOTA ('None of the Above') was introduced after the Supreme Court's judgment in PUCL v Union of India (2013). It records dissatisfaction but does not cancel the election.
  • The Anti-Defection Law (52nd Amendment, 1985; Tenth Schedule) disqualifies elected members who voluntarily give up party membership or defy a party whip. The Speaker or Chairman decides.
  • National and state parties are recognised by the Election Commission on the basis of vote share and seats. India has a multi-party system with coalition governments.

Worked example

A candidate wins a seat with 32% of the vote while three rivals split the rest. Is the result undemocratic? Reasoning: under FPTP, the winner needs only a plurality, not a majority. This can produce a government with less than 50% of the popular vote and encourages strategic voting and coalitions. Reforms such as runoff voting or proportional representation are debated. Answer: the result is legally valid but illustrates FPTP's disproportionality.

Traps

Voting age is 18, not 21. The Model Code of Conduct is not a statute. NOTA does not trigger a re-election. The Election Commission does not decide disqualification under the anti-defection law - the presiding officer does. Do not confuse recognition of parties with registration.