Elections: Class 9 Social Science Chapter 7 Hinglish mein

Maan lo tumhari colony ke residents ne do saal pehle apni association ke liye ek secretary chuni thi, do saal ke term ke liye. Term khatam ho chuka hai, lekin secretary kehti hai ki naya vote sabka time waste karega, kyunki log uske kaam se khush lagte hain. Shayad kai residents is baat se sehmat bhi hon. Phir bhi, kuch theek nahi lag raha. Yeh kisne decide kiya ki log khush hain? Aur agar baad mein residents ka mann badal jaaye, to woh use kaise badlenge?

Democracies ke paas aisi uljhanon ka ek jawab hai: regular elections. Is chapter mein hum poochhenge ki elections kyun matter karte hain, votes seats mein kaise badalte hain, India mein elections kaun se laws aur institutions chalate hain, political parties kya karti hain, aur ab bhi kya galat ho sakta hai.

7.1 Elections kyun matter karte hain?

Democracy mein log hi final authority hote hain. Lekin crores log ek hall mein ikattha hokar har law par debate nahi kar sakte. Isliye woh apni taraf se decide karne ke liye representatives chunte hain, aur unhe chunne ke tareeke ko election (चुनाव) kehte hain. Isme hissa lena right bhi hai aur responsibility bhi: tumhara vote decide karne mein madad karta hai ki tumhari panchayat ya ward, tumhara State aur desh kaun chalayega.

Kisi office ko election se do tareekon se bhara ja sakta hai. Direct election mein citizens khud us insaan ke liye vote karte hain jo post sambhalega. Indirect election mein citizens representatives chunte hain, aur phir woh representatives office-holder ko chunte hain (Fig. 7.1).

Lekin har vote se democracy nahi banti. Koi election tabhi democratic hai jab woh teen tests paas kare:

• Yeh regular hota hai. Yeh fixed intervals par hota hai, taaki koi bhi government logon se dobara pooche bina hamesha power mein na reh sake.
• Yeh asli choice deta hai. Ek se zyada candidates aur parties azaadi se compete kar sakte hain. Jis poll mein sirf ek party ko permission ho, woh choice nahi hai.
• Yeh free aur fair hota hai. Log bina darr ya rishwat ke vote karte hain, aur har vote imaandari se gina jaata hai.

Har election ko ek expiry date wale contract ki tarah socho. Voters ek fixed term ke liye, aam taur par paanch saal, apne representatives ko power dete hain. Term khatam hone par contract ko naye vote se renew karna padta hai, aur voters mana karne ke liye free hain. Isiliye elected representatives accountable hote hain: unhe apne kaam ka hisaab dena padta hai aur logon ka dobara saamna karna padta hai. Tumhara diya har vote us renewal decision ka hissa hai, jaise Fig. 7.2 dikhata hai.

Elections democracy ke liye ek saath kai kaam karte hain:

• Representation: alag-alag zaroorton aur vichaaron wale logon ko law-making mein awaaz milti hai.
• Accountability: power mein baithe logon ko voters ko jawab dena padta hai, jo unhe hata sakte hain.
• Legitimacy: logon dwara chuni gayi government ke paas rule karne ka aisa right hota hai jise citizens maante hain, woh bhi jinhone uske khilaaf vote diya tha.
• Equality: har adult citizen ka ek vote hota hai, aur har vote ki keemat barabar hoti hai.

7.2 India ki Election Machinery ke andar

School election ke liye ek ballot box aur votes ginne ke liye ek teacher chahiye. Crores voters ka election, jo barfeele passes, deserts, islands aur bheed bhare shehron mein faile hain, duniya ke sabse bade organising kaamon mein se ek hai. Iske liye teen cheezein chahiye: saaf rules, unhe laagu karne laayak mazboot institutions, aur log jo un rules ke hisaab se khelen.

Kai players mil kar kaam karte hain. Election Commission of India (ECI) polls ko organise aur supervise karta hai. Political parties aur independent candidates compete karte hain. Media report karta hai, citizens ke groups (civil society) nazar rakhte hain, aur voters final decision lete hain. Kaun kya kar sakta hai, yeh Constitution aur Parliament ke Acts mein likha hai, jinse hum Section 7.2.2 mein milenge.

7.2.1 Electoral System

Votes apne aap seats mein nahi badalte. Desh ko ek rule chahiye jo bataye, jaise, ki kya sabse zyada votes wala candidate seedha jeet jaata hai, ya seats parties ke beech baanti jaati hain. Yeh rule uska electoral system (निर्वाचन प्रणाली) hai, aur yeh tumhari soch se zyada matter karta hai: alag rules ke under same votes se bilkul alag legislatures ban sakti hain.

India aise do rules use karta hai. Lok Sabha aur Vidhan Sabha members plurality rule se chune jaate hain, jise aam taur par first-past-the-post (FPTP) kehte hain. Rajya Sabha, President, Vice President aur Vidhan Parishads single transferable vote ke through proportional representation se chune jaate hain. Constituent Assembly ne is mix par tay hone se pehle main options par debate kiya tha.

FPTP ka naam horse racing se aaya hai: jo winning post ko sabse pehle paar kare woh jeetta hai, lead chahe kitni bhi kam ho. Desh ko constituencies (निर्वाचन क्षेत्र) mein baanta jaata hai, aur har ek ek hi member chunti hai. Har voter ek candidate ko mark karta hai, aur jise sabse zyada votes milte hain woh seat le leta hai. Winner ko majority ki zaroorat nahi: agar baaki votes kai rivals mein bant jaayein to 35 per cent bhi kaafi ho sakta hai.

Doosri jagahon par do aur systems common hain. Two-round (majority) system mein winner ko aadhe se zyada votes chahiye; agar pehle round mein kisi ko itne nahi milte, to top do candidates second round mein phir se aamne-saamne hote hain. France apne President ko isi tarah chunta hai. Proportional representation (PR) mein voters aam taur par ek party chunte hain, aur har party ko uske vote share ke proportion mein seats milti hain. Netherlands aur South Africa apni national parliaments isi tarah chunte hain.

Yeh choice kyun matter karti hai, yeh dekhne ke liye island State Sagarpur ki kalpana karo. Iski assembly mein paanch seats hain, har constituency se ek, aur teen parties chunaav ladti hain: Teal (T), Amber (A) aur Violet (V). Har constituency mein 10,000 voters hain, to 1 per cent matlab 100 votes. Fig. 7.3 same votes ko do tareekon se ginta hai.

FPTP mein Teal teen kareebi muqable jeetta hai aur ek-tihaai votes se 60 per cent seats le leta hai. Amber, jo overall sabse popular party hai, C4 mein bahut badi jeet jama karti hai lekin sirf ek seat leti hai. PR mein seats votes ke kaafi kareeb chalti hain. Koi bhi result seedha ‘galat’ nahi hai: har system kisi alag cheez ko value deta hai, jaise neeche ka comparison dikhata hai.

India ke framers ne Lok Sabha ke liye FPTP kyun chuna? Aam taur par yeh reasons diye jaate hain: ise samajhna aasaan hai, pehli baar vote dene wale ke liye bhi; har area ka apna representative hota hai jiske paas ja sakte hain; aur yeh aksar ek party ya alliance ko stable government banane ke liye kaafi seats de deta hai. Critics votes aur seats ke beech us gap ki taraf ishaara karte hain jo tumne Sagarpur mein dekha. Supporters kehte hain ki stability aur ek saaf local representative us keemat ke laayak hain.

Zyaadatar States ek hi House se kaam chalate hain, Vidhan Sabha, jiske members Lok Sabha MPs ki tarah hi FPTP se chune jaate hain. Delhi, Puducherry, aur Jammu and Kashmir, Union Territories hote hue bhi, elected assemblies rakhte hain. Chhe States ne ek upper House bhi joda hai, Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council), isliye unki legislatures bicameral (do Houses wali) hain. Alphabetical order mein yeh hain Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh.

Us table ki har elected seat single transferable vote ke saath proportional representation se bhari jaati hai, jis method ko hum ab dekhenge.

Single transferable vote (STV) tab use hota hai jab electors ke ek group ko kai seats bharni hon, jaise kisi State ke MLAs apne Rajya Sabha members chunte hain, ya koi ek high office bharna ho. Ek naam mark karne ki jagah har elector candidates ko rank karta hai: pehli choice ko 1, agli ko 2, aur aise hi aage. Jeetne ke liye candidate ko votes ki ek fixed sankhya tak pahunchna hota hai jise quota kehte hain.

1. Har ballot par first preference gino. Jo bhi quota tak pahunche woh elected hai.
2. Winner ke quota se upar ke votes, yaani surplus, un ballots par mark ki gayi agli preferences ko chale jaate hain.
3. Agar seats ab bhi khaali hain, to sabse kam votes wala candidate bahar ho jaata hai, aur uske ballots unki agli preferences ko chale jaate hain.
4. Yeh tab tak dohrao jab tak har seat na bhar jaaye.

Asli counting mein surplus ko isse zyada precisely baanta jaata hai, votes ke fractions use karke, lekin idea wahi hai. Quota bas itna ooncha rakha jaata hai ki jitni seats bharni hain usse zyada candidates us tak na pahunch sakein.

7.2.2 Laws

Constitution bade principles tay karta hai, jaise har adult citizen ka vote dene ka right. Details Parliament ke banaye laws se aati hain. Do laws Indian elections ki reedh ki haddi hain. Pehla hai Representation of the People Act of 1950 (RPA 1950); doosra, ek saal baad pass hua, Representation of the People Act of 1951 (RPA 1951) hai. Ek teesra law, Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act of 1952, desh ke do sabse oonche offices ko cover karta hai.

Inhe yaad rakhne ka ek aasaan tareeka: RPA 1950 tay karta hai kaun vote karta hai, aur kahan; RPA 1951 tay karta hai muqabla kaise chalaya aur judge kiya jaata hai. Waise, voting age 21 thi jab tak 1988 mein pass hue Constitution ke 61st Amendment ne use ghata kar 18 nahi kar diya.

RPA 1951 corrupt practices ki list bhi deta hai. Agar court ko pata chale ki kisi winner ne inmein se koi use ki, to woh election cancel kar sakta hai, aur us vyakti ko kuch saalon tak chunaav ladne se roka ja sakta hai. Corrupt practices mein shaamil hain:

• Bribery: vote ke badle, booth se door rehne ke badle, ya race mein aane ya usse hatne ke badle koi bhi keemti cheez dena ya uska vaada karna, jaise cash, gift ya job.
• Undue influence: voters ya candidates ko dhamkana, jaise nuksaan ya social boycott ki dhamki dena.
• Appeals to identity: logon ko unke religion, caste, race, community ya language ki wajah se kisi candidate ko support ya reject karne ke liye uksaana.
• False statements: kisi rival candidate ke personal character ke baare mein jhooth chhapna taaki uske chances bigde.
• Government staff ka use: campaign ke liye government servants, jaise police officers, magistrates ya armed forces ke members, se madad lena.

Jo bhi maanta hai ki koi election galat tareeke se jeeta gaya, woh High Court mein election petition daal sakta hai, aam taur par result ke 45 din ke andar.

7.2.3 Delimitation Commission

Do padosi Lok Sabha constituencies ki kalpana karo: Hillpur jismein 12 lakh log hain aur Riverganj jismein 30 lakh. Dono ek-ek MP chunte hain. Hillpur ka voter apna MP 12 lakh logon ke saath share karta hai; Riverganj ka voter 30 lakh ke saath. Asal mein Hillpur ke ek vote ka wazan 30 ÷ 12 = 2.5 guna hai. Isse one person, one vote, one value ka rule toot jaata hai.

Population badalti rehti hai. Towns shehar ban jaate hain, aur log kaam ke liye jagah badalte hain. Isliye lines ko samay-samay par dobara kheenchna padta hai. Delimitation (परिसीमन) woh kaam hai jismein tay kiya jaata hai ki har State ke paas kitni Lok Sabha aur Vidhan Sabha seats hain aur har constituency ki boundary kahan se guzarti hai (Fig. 7.6).

Constitution ka Article 82 kehta hai ki har census ke baad Lok Sabha seats ko readjust kiya jaaye, aur Article 170 Vidhan Sabhas ke liye yahi kehta hai. Yeh kaam ek Delimitation Commission karta hai, jo Parliament ke pass kiye law ke under banta hai. India mein ab tak chaar ban chuke hain, 1952, 1963, 1973 aur 2002 mein. Commission ka head Supreme Court ka ek serving ya retired judge hota hai, aur uske orders ko law ki taakat hoti hai. Yeh yeh bhi tay karta hai ki kaun si constituencies Scheduled Castes aur Scheduled Tribes ke liye reserved hongi, population mein unke share ke hisaab se.

7.3 Election Commission of India (ECI)

Constitution ka Article 324 Election Commission of India (भारत निर्वाचन आयोग) ko elections ka ‘superintendence, direction and control’ deta hai. Seedhe shabdon mein, voters ki list banane se lekar results declare karne tak, poore process ka incharge ECI hai.

Dhyaan do ki us list mein kya nahi hai: panchayats aur municipalities. Unke elections har State mein ek alag State Election Commission chalata hai, jo 1992 ke 73rd aur 74th Amendments ke under bana.

New Delhi mein ECI ka apna office chhota hai. Election ke time yeh lakhs government employees par nirbhar karta hai, jo election duties ke liye iske control mein kaam karte hain. Har State ke liye ECI, State government se salah karke, ek senior civil servant ko apna Chief Electoral Officer chunta hai; yeh officer State ke saare election kaam ki nigraani karta hai. Har district mein District Election Officer, aam taur par District Magistrate ya Collector, incharge hota hai (Fig. 7.7).

Har constituency mein ek Returning Officer hota hai, jo nominations leta hai, poll karata hai aur result declare karta hai, aur ek Electoral Registration Officer, jo uski voters' list taiyaar karta hai. Har polling station par ek Presiding Officer polling team ko lead karta hai, aur ek Booth Level Officer local list ko up to date rakhne mein madad karta hai.

Chalo ab ECI ke main kaam dekhte hain. Inmein se kuch tumne Class 8 mein dekhe the; yahan hum har ek ko aur dhyaan se dekhenge.

7.3.1 Electoral roll taiyaar karna

List mein naam nahi, to vote nahi. Electoral roll (मतदाता सूची) voters ki official list hai. Har constituency ka apna roll hota hai, booth ke hisaab se bata hua, taaki har polling station ko woh hissa mile jismein wahan vote dene wale logon ke naam hon. Polling day par polling team is list mein tumhara naam check karti hai. Agar tumhara naam nahi hai, to tum vote nahi de sakte, chahe tumhare paas voter ID card ho.

Roll mein aane ke liye vyakti ko India ka citizen hona chahiye, qualifying date par kam se kam 18 saal ka, aur us constituency mein aam taur par rehne wala. Officials, aam taur par Booth Level Officers, eligible logon ki details lene ghar-ghar jaate hain. Roll har saal ek summary revision se update hota hai, jab log naam jodne, sudhaarne ya hatane ke liye apply kar sakte hain.

Samay-samay par ECI ek gehri safai ka order deta hai jise Special Intensive Revision (SIR) kehte hain. Pichhle saal ki list mein bas jodne ki jagah, officials har darwaaze par jaate hain aur har entry dobara check karte hain. Socho, ek teacher saal ki shuruaat mein class register saaf kar raha hai: naye students jode jaate hain, aur jo chale gaye unke naam kaat diye jaate hain. SIR bhi dono taraf kaam karta hai:

Kyunki revision se bahut saare naam jud ya hat sakte hain, yeh tay steps follow karta hai. Jo bhi chhoot gaya ho, ya galat tareeke se hata diya gaya ho, claim file kar sakta hai, aur decision ke khilaaf oonche election officers ke paas appeal kar sakta hai.

7.3.2 Election schedule tay karna

Poore India ke liye ek polling day plan karke dekho. April mein poore north mein gehun ki katai hoti hai. July mein monsoon ki baadh east aur north-east ke gaon ko kaat sakti hai. February aur March mein board exams un school buildings ko bhar dete hain jo polling stations bhi bante hain, aur autumn mein bade tyohaar crores logon ko safar mein rakhte hain. Isme lakhs security personnel ko jagah-jagah le jaane ki zaroorat jod do, aur ek din mein election namumkin ho jaata hai.

Election tab due hota hai jab paanch saal ka term khatam hota hai, ya pehle bhi agar koi House jaldi dissolve ho jaaye. Phir ECI ek bade election ko kai phases mein failata hai, jismein alag regions alag dino par vote karte hain. 2024 ka Lok Sabha election 19 April se 1 June ke beech saat phases mein hua, aur saare votes 4 June ko gine gaye (ECI schedule, 16 March 2024 ko announce hua).

Fig. 7.8 main stages dikhata hai. Schedule announce hone se lekar results declare hone tak Model Code of Conduct (आदर्श आचार संहिता) laagu rehta hai. Yeh parties dwara maani gayi guidelines ka set hai ki election ke dauraan parties, candidates aur governments ko kaise behave karna chahiye. Jaise, code laagu rehte government nayi schemes announce nahi kar sakti, ministers official tours ko campaigning ke saath nahi mila sakte, aur pooja ki jagahon ka use election propaganda ke liye nahi ho sakta. Polling khatam hone se 48 ghante pehle campaigning rukni chahiye.

7.3.3 Parties ko register karna aur symbols dena

Ballot unit dekho to har naam ke paas ek chhoti si picture dikhegi. Jo voter padh nahi sakta, uske liye woh symbol hi naam hai; baaki sabke liye yeh apni choice jaldi dhoondhne ka tareeka hai. Kaun decide karta hai ki kaun sa symbol kise milega? ECI.

Parties pehle ECI ke saath register karti hain. Phir unke election results ke basis par ECI unhe recognised national parties, recognised State parties, ya registered unrecognised parties mein baantta hai (Section 7.4.3). Recognised party ko ek reserved symbol milta hai jise koi aur use nahi kar sakta: national party ke liye poore India mein, State party ke liye uske State mein. Doosri parties ke candidates, aur independents jo kisi party ke nahi hote, roz ki cheezon par based free symbols ki list mein se chunte hain.

Jab koi party toot jaati hai aur dono rival groups uske naam aur symbol par daava karte hain, to ECI dono paksh sunta hai aur dispute par faisla deta hai, kuch-kuch court ki tarah; yeh iska quasi-judicial role hai. ECI parties ko inner-party democracy ki taraf bhi dhakelta hai, yeh ummeed rakh kar ki woh regular intervals par apne office-bearers khud chunein.

7.3.4 Free aur fair elections pakka karna

Vote karana aur fair vote karana ek baat nahi hai. Teen shabd batate hain ki achhe election ko kya chahiye. Yeh free hona chahiye: jo zameendar khet mazdooron ko batata hai ki kise vote dena hai, woh ise todta hai. Yeh fair hona chahiye, sabke liye same rules aur imaandaar counting ke saath: jo voters' list poori basti ko chhod de, woh ise todti hai. Aur yeh inclusive hona chahiye, taaki har eligible vyakti sach mein vote de sake: seedhiyon ke upar bana booth, bina ramp ke, ise todta hai. Agar inmein se ek bhi na ho, to result shayad woh na dikhaye jo log sach mein chahte the.

‘No voter to be left behind’ inclusion ke liye ECI ka motto hai. Iske liye uthaye gaye kuch kadam:

• Accessible booths: polling stations par ramps, wheelchairs, volunteers, peene ka paani aur chhaaya, aur jin voters ko zaroorat ho unke liye transport.
• EVM ke ballot unit par buttons ke paas Braille numbers, taaki visually impaired voters khud vote de sakein.
• Ghar se voting: 85 se upar ke voters, aur 40 per cent ya usse zyada assessed disability wale log, postal ballot se ghar se vote dene ke liye apply kar sakte hain. 2024 ka Lok Sabha election pehla general election tha jisne yeh suvidha poore India mein di.
• Roll par third gender category, taaki transgender log apni pehchaan ke saath enrol kar sakein.
• Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) ke beech special enrolment drives, jinmein se kai door-daraaz jungle aur pahadi ilaakon mein rehte hain.
• Service voters, election duty par staff aur police, aur preventive detention mein rakhe logon ke liye postal ballots. Jail mein band log, chahe convicted hon ya trial ka intezaar kar rahe hon, vote nahi de sakte.

Yeh sab bahut bade scale par hota hai. 2024 ke Lok Sabha election ke liye lagbhag 96.8 crore log electors ke roop mein registered the, aur unhone lagbhag 10.5 lakh polling stations par vote diya (ECI, March 2024). India ke pehle general election, 1951–52 mein, lagbhag 17.3 crore electors the. Itne bade numbers ke saath sirf kaagazi registers kabhi taal-mel nahi rakh paate, isliye ECI ka zyaadatar kaam ab apps aur online portals se chalta hai, har group ke users ke liye tools ke saath:

Ab in tools ko ek saath laaya ja raha hai: 2025 mein ECI ne ECINET announce kiya, ek single platform jo uske lagbhag chaalis alag apps ki jagah lega.

7.4 Political Parties

Political party (राजनीतिक दल) logon ka ek organised group hai jo desh kaise chalna chahiye is baare mein milte-julte broad vichaar rakhte hain aur un vichaaron ko laagu karne ke liye elections ladte hain. Party ko ek team ki tarah socho jiske paas ek playbook hai: playbook uska programme hai, aur players woh candidates hain jinhe woh khada karti hai. Ab ek aise ballot ki kalpana karo jismein bees anjaan log hain aur koi team nahi: tumhe har naam ke baare mein shuru se research karni padti. Party labels voters ki yeh mehnat bachate hain, aur yahi ek wajah hai ki zyaadatar candidates party ticket par ladte hain, jabki kuch independents ke roop mein khade hote hain.

Parties aise kaam karti hain jinke bina ek badi democracy chal nahi sakti:

• Woh candidates khade karti hain aur ek manifesto, yaani vaadon aur plans ki likhit list, deti hain, taaki voters ke paas asli alternatives hon.
• Woh voters ko decide karne mein madad karti hain: party ka record aur vaade voters ko batate hain ki uska candidate shayad kya karega.
• Woh opinions ko ek saath laati hain: millions alag-alag views kuch saaf programmes ban jaate hain jinhe compare kiya ja sake.
• Woh issues ko zinda rakhti hain: rallies, debates aur advertisements jobs, prices ya paani jaisi problems ko public agenda par le aate hain.
• Counting ke baad woh government ya opposition banati hain (Fig. 7.9).

7.4.1 Multi-party system

Kuch deshon mein, jaise United States, do badi parties baari-baari se power mein aati hain. India alag hai: kai parties chunaav ladti hain, aur do se zyada parties ke paas akele ya partners ke saath power jeetne ka asli mauka hota hai. Yeh multi-party system hai. Itni languages, regions, dharmon aur communities wala desh apni-apni priorities wale kai groups banata hai, aur koi ek ya do parties un sabki awaaz nahi ban sakti.

Jab koi party akele majority nahi jeetti, to parties haath milati hain. Alliance election se pehle ya baad mein ban sakta hai, aur jab allies power share karte hain, to government coalition hoti hai. Neeche ki timeline dikhati hai ki India ek party ke dabdabe se alliances ke daur tak kaise pahuncha.

7.4.2 Defection aur anti-defection law

Ek MLA ki kalpana karo jo Party P ki candidate ke roop mein apni seat jeetti hai. Ek saal baad woh announce karti hai ki woh Party Q mein ja rahi hai, ya kisi important bill par Party P ki line ke khilaaf vote karti hai. Jin voters ne P ko chuna tha, ab unki seat doosri taraf gini jaati hai. Kisi elected member ke is tarah paala badalne ko defection (दल-बदल) kehte hain. Aam party members, jinke paas koi seat nahi, azaadi se party badal sakte hain; chinta un logon ko lekar hai jo kisi party ke ticket par chune gaye.

Baar-baar paala badalne ko rokne ke liye Parliament ne 1985 mein Constitution ke 52nd Amendment ke through anti-defection law pass kiya, jisne Tenth Schedule joda. Kisi MP ya MLA ko disqualify kiya ja sakta hai agar woh apni marzi se apni party ki membership chhod de, ya party ki direction, jise whip kehte hain, ke khilaaf bina permission vote kare ya vote se door rahe. Jo independent member election ke baad kisi party mein shaamil hota hai, use bhi disqualify kiya ja sakta hai. Aise cases House ke Speaker decide karte hain; Rajya Sabha ya Vidhan Parishad mein Chairman decide karte hain. Ek exception bacha hai: agar House mein kisi party ke kam se kam do-tihaai members doosri party ke saath merge hone par sehmat hon, to unki seats bani rehti hain.

Law ke supporters kehte hain ki isse governments mein stability aayi hai. Critics kehte hain ki isse legislators apni party ke leaders se asehmat hone se darte hain, zameer ke maamlon par bhi. Dono vichaar ek chalti hui debate ka hissa hain.

7.4.3 National aur State parties ko recognise karna

Registration har us party ke liye khula hai jo ECI ke basic rules poore kare, lekin recognition polls mein kamaani padti hai. Isse asli fayde milte hain: ek reserved symbol, campaigns ke dauraan public television aur radio par free broadcast time, aur zyada star campaigners. ECI pichhle general election mein party ke results ko Table 7.5 ki conditions se check karta hai. Koi bhi ek condition poori karna kaafi hai.

Jo party registered hai lekin inmein se koi condition poori nahi karti, ya register hone ke baad se kabhi chunaav hi nahi ladi, woh registered unrecognised party hai.

April 2023 ke review ke baad ECI ne chhe national parties ko recognise kiya, aur 2025 mein bhi yeh sankhya chhe thi. Alphabetical order mein yeh hain Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), yaani CPI(M), Indian National Congress (INC) aur National People's Party (NPP).

7.5 Free aur Fair Elections ke saamne Challenges

Har bada election ek stress test hai. Kuch problems utni hi purani hain jitne khud elections, jaise rishwat aur dhamkiyan; doosri, jaise deepfake videos, nayi hain. Main problems yeh hain:

• Money power: votes ke liye baante gaye cash, gifts ya sharaab, aur legal limits se kahin zyada kharcha.
• Muscle power aur intimidation: dhamkiyan ya hinsa jo kuch logon ko booth se door rakhti hai ya unki choice par zor daalti hai.
• Misinformation aur fake news: jhoothe daave, jismein deepfakes kehlaane wali chhed-chhaad ki gayi photos aur videos bhi shaamil hain, social media par tezi se failte hain.
• Divisive appeals: religion ya caste ke naam par vote maangna, jise law mana karta hai.
• Official power ka misuse: kisi party ke campaign ke liye government vehicles, staff ya advertisements ka use karna.
• Low turnout: kai registered voters, khaas kar kuch bade shehron mein, vote hi nahi dete.

Law aur ECI har problem ka jawab safeguards se dete hain (Fig. 7.10). Candidates ko spending limits ke andar rehna hota hai, jo ab bade States mein Lok Sabha seat ke liye ₹95 lakh tak aur chhote States mein ₹75 lakh tak hai (ECI, 2022). Flying squads aur expenditure observers cash aur gifts par nazar rakhte hain. Central armed police forces aur sensitive polling stations se live webcasting dhamkiyon ko rokte hain. Citizens cVIGIL app se Model Code ke breach ki report minutes mein kar sakte hain, aur ECI apne SVEEP programme (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) ke under voter awareness campaigns chalata hai.

Votes electronic voting machines (EVMs) par daale jaate hain. 2019 ke Lok Sabha election se har EVM ke saath ek Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) unit joda gaya hai. Jab tum button dabate ho, to tumhare candidate ka serial number, naam aur symbol wali ek paper slip lagbhag saat second ke liye ek window ke peeche dikhti hai, phir ek sealed box mein gir jaati hai. Counting ke time har Assembly constituency, ya Lok Sabha seat ke Assembly segment, ke paanch randomly chune gaye polling stations ki slips haath se gini jaati hain aur EVM totals se match ki jaati hain. EVMs par shaq samay-samay par court tak le jaaye gaye hain; April 2024 mein Supreme Court ne paper ballots par wapas jaane ki maang wali petitions reject kar di.

Jo voters kisi bhi candidate ko support nahi karna chahte, woh NOTA (‘None of the Above’) daba sakte hain, jo 2013 se available hai. NOTA votes gine aur publish kiye jaate hain, lekin woh result nahi badalte: sabse zyada votes wala candidate hi jeetta hai.

Rules aur machines ek had tak hi kar sakte hain. Baaki aam voters par nirbhar hai: roll par apna naam check karna, polling day par pahunchna, rishwat thukrana aur jo dikhe uski report karna.