Electoral Politics

Republic of IndiaA federal republic with a parliamentary system of governmentcapital: New Delhi

A federal system28 states and 7 centrally administered Union Territories2 states are partially claimed by Pakistan and China

Federal systemRelatively centralizedfederal government controls the most essential government functionsdefenseforeign policytaxationpublic expenditureseconomic (industrial) planning

The time is after midnight. An expectant crowd sitting for the past five hours in chowk of the town is waiting for its leader for its leader to come. The organizers assure and reassure the crowd that he would be here any moment. Whenever passing vehicle comes that way. It arouses hopes that he has come. The leader is Mr. Devilal , chief of the Haryana sangharsh samittee, who was to address a meeting in Karnal on Thusrsday night. The 76 years old leader, is a very busy man these days. His day starts at 8 AM, and ends after 11PM..he had already addressed 9 election meetings since morning..Mr.Devi Lal has no new philosophy or slogans to give to people of Haryana as he had been constantly addressing public meetings for the past 23 months & preparing for this election.Devi lals approach to his audience is direct. He does not mince words in telling his audience that they should response their in the Lok dal and he would build for them a new Haryana. His slogan Bhrastachar band aur pani prabandh. (End to corruption for water is old as the agiation launched by his sangharsh samitee.

On the basis of the above narrative, give examples to prove or refuse the following assertion :The party that ruled before the elections and the one that formed government after the elections was the same. Name the party. Devi Lal was very popular among the people at that time. Lok dal did not make any promises to the people. devilal fulfilled his promises to waive off farmer loans on becoming chief minister. Devi lal had not given any manifesto to the people. What are the other means by which people could know about their priorities. What are the different methods used by political parties during the election campaign to seek vote.

Topic For DisscusionIs Elections Democratic in India??

Current composition43 parties in the 13th Lok Sabha (1999)39 parties in the 14th Lok Sabha (2004)Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)184138Indian National Congress (INC)109145Communist Party of India (M)3443other political parties218217total545543

Releasing election manifesto counting of votes Making of voters listElection campaign Declaration of election resultsCasting of Votes Ordering of re-poll Announcing election scheduleFiling Nomination

Indian National CongressIndias oldest political partysince 1885Indias premier political partyuntil 1990sin 1960s many regional parties started challenging INCs monopoly on power

Indian National CongressIndira Gandhicreated a top-down structureparty leaders appoint party officialssome limited party electionsleft-of-center, pro-poor political platform

Indian National CongressINC moved toward the ideological centerBeginning in 1984INC today tilts right-of-centereconomic efficiencybusiness interestslimited government spending

Indian National CongressINC has always attracted support from diverse social groupsin the 1990s INC has lost some of its traditional constituencies among the poor and Muslims

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)The major political party in India todayright-leaning, Hindu-nationalist partyfirst major party to mobilize explicitly on the basis of religious identity

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)better organized than INCdisciplined party memberscarefully selected party cadresclear and respected authority line within the party

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)Traditional supportersurban, lower-middle-class groupsbase of support widened since mid-1980sHindu nationalismnorth-central Indiadecline of Indian National CongressMuslims as convenient scapegoat for frustration

BJPs rapid rise to powerelectoral success from 1989 to 1999difficulty in forming alliance with other partiesbreak with past traditionsrelatively moderate, centrist positionBJP formed governing coalition in 1998collapsed in 1999BJP formed a new coalition in 1999more broadly based than previous coalition

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)economic liberalization and stabilityprivilege the interests of the Hindu majority

Federal systemstate governments formally controlagricultureeducationlaw and order within statesdependent on central government for funds

Federal systemBalance of power between central and state governmentsvaries by time and placestate power was constrainedduring the rule of Nehru and Indira Gandhistate governments have more room to maneuverwhen central government is weaksince 1998

Federal systemconsiderable center-state conflict when ruling political party in a state is different from national ruling party

Parallel state structureFormal political structure of the states parallels that of the national governmentnationalstatePresidentGovernorPrime MinisterChief MinisterParliamentAssemblySupreme CourtHigh Court

The legislatureParliamentary system of governmentthe executive authority is responsible to the Parliament

The legislaturebicameral ParliamentRajya Sabha (Council of States)Lok Sabha (House of the People)

Rajya Sabha (Council of States)The Upper House

Upper HouseRajya Sabha (Council of States)not more than 250 members12 are nominated by the President of Indiathe rest are indirectly electedby state Legislative AssembliesThe Council of States can not be dissolvedmembers have terms of 6 years1/3 members retire at end of every 2nd year

Lok SabhaHouse of the People

Lower HouseLok Sabha (House of the People)545 members2 are appointed by the President of Indiathe rest are directly elected from single-member districts5-year terms unless dissolvedLok Sabha elects its presiding officerthe Speaker

Lok SabhaElections held at least every 5 yearsPrime Minister may call elections earlier543 single-member districts of roughly equal populationparty nomination1st-past-the-postwinner-take-allwomens share

Elections to Lok SabhaVote share of 3 major political parties

Prime MinisterLeader of the majority party leader in Lok Sabha becomes the prime ministerprime minister nominates a cabinetmembers of Parliament in the ruling coalitionCouncil of Ministerseffective power is concentrated in the office of the prime ministerwhere most of the important policies originate

Prime Ministers of India38 years in the Nehru-Gandhi familymore and more rapid turnover

The President of IndiaHead of the StateCommander-in-Chief of the armed forceselected by an electoral collegenational Parliamentstate legislature5-year termscan be reelected

The President of IndiaCeremonial officesymbolize national unitysupposedly above partisan politicsmostly acts on the advice of the prime ministerPresident plays a significant role when the selection of a prime minister is complexin 1998 President requested BJP to form govt.

The JudiciaryFundamental contradiction in constitutionprinciple of parliamentary sovereigntyprinciple of judicial review

The Judiciaryjudiciary tries to preserve the constitutions basic structureto ensure that legislation conforms with the intent of the constitutionparliament tries to assert its right to amend the constitution