Electoral Politics — Social Studies STD 9 — Question

Election is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals and change them if they wish to do so. Elections are considered essential for the following reasons:

1. In any large community, it is not possible for all the people to sit together every day and take all the decisions. Nor is it possible for everyone to have the time and knowledge to take decisions on all matters. Therefore, in most democracies, people rule through their representatives, who are elected by the people themselves. For electing these representatives, elections are essential.
2. Elections are fought on party basis. The party, which gets a majority, forms the government. If the government fails to work as per its promises, people can change it. They bring this change through elections. Thus, elections enable people to exercise control over the government.