Election and Representation 11 Political Science Chapter 3 CBSE Notes 2025-26

Elections are the heart of democracy, allowing citizens to choose their representatives in government. In India, the rules and methods of conducting elections are not left to chance—they are written into the Constitution to ensure fairness, transparency, and universal participation. The system adopted plays a key role in shaping political outcomes, determining not just who wins, but also who gets represented in the Parliament and State Assemblies.

In a vast country like India, it’s impossible for all citizens to directly make every decision. Instead, voters elect individuals to represent them. This is known as indirect or representative democracy, where people’s involvement in governance is primarily through their elected leaders. Direct democracy, as practiced in ancient Greece or through local gram sabhas, is limited to smaller populations. While elections are central to democracy, not all elections are held in a genuine democratic spirit, especially if the process is unfair or restricted.

The Constitution of India addresses core questions to make elections free, fair, and representative. These include eligibility to vote and contest, who supervises and manages elections, and how votes are counted. Ensuring free and fair elections forms the backbone of sustaining India’s democracy, providing equal opportunity for participation.

India uses the First Past the Post (FPTP) system for Lok Sabha and most State Assembly elections. The entire country is divided into 543 constituencies for Lok Sabha, each electing one representative. The candidate who receives the most votes in each constituency is declared elected, even if they do not secure more than half of the total votes. For example, in the 1984 Lok Sabha election, the Congress party won 415 out of 543 seats with just 48% of the vote share.

This system, also called the Plurality System, is simple to understand and provides a direct link between voters and their representatives. However, it doesn’t guarantee that the winning candidate has the support of a majority of voters.

In some countries like Israel, Proportional Representation (PR) is used, where parties get seats in proportion to the votes they receive. India adopts a variant of this for Rajya Sabha elections, where State MLAs rank candidates in order of preference and a formula determines who gets elected.

The FPTP system was chosen in India for its simplicity and direct accountability, while PR is considered more representative but can make governments less stable.

Because the FPTP system can disadvantage smaller groups, the Constitution provides reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, proportionate to their population. As of 26 January 2019, 84 Lok Sabha seats are reserved for SCs and 47 for STs. The Delimitation Commission, an independent authority, decides which constituencies are reserved by assessing the population distribution.

For women, the demand for reservation has resulted in the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Act, 2023), providing for their greater representation. There is no similar reservation for other groups.

The success of any democracy relies on free and fair elections. India follows universal adult franchise, meaning every citizen above 18 can vote, regardless of gender, education, or socio-economic background. Anyone can contest elections, with minimal restrictions, making the process open and inclusive.

To ensure impartiality, Article 324 of the Constitution establishes the independent Election Commission of India. It supervises the electoral process, prepares voter lists, decides election schedules, and recognizes political parties. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Commissioners are appointed by the President and have protected tenure to avoid political interference.

• Preparation and revision of accurate voters’ lists
• Scheduling and conducting elections
• Implementing model code of conduct and managing election disputes
• Recognizing parties and allotting symbols

The Election Commission has time and again acted firmly, even postponing or cancelling elections if conditions are not favorable, and has earned a reputation for integrity.

Despite improvements, there are calls for further reforms such as adopting PR for better representation, reserving more seats for women, stricter control over election expenses, and banning the use of caste or religion in campaigns. There are also demands to regulate political parties and bar candidates facing criminal charges. However, true change requires all stakeholders to respect the democratic process.

India’s election system has enabled peaceful transfer of power, increased participation, and accommodated diverse voices in governance. Over time, the composition of elected representatives has become more inclusive, though the representation of women remains low. While issues like rigging and malpractices exist, they rarely affect overall outcomes. The legitimacy of elections and the Election Commission have strengthened democracy in India, making elections an inseparable part of public life.

To deepen your understanding, practicing exercises and reflecting on real electoral situations, such as direct vs. indirect democracy or the role of the Commission, will help develop critical thinking about the strengths and weaknesses of India’s electoral process.

CBSE Class 11 Political Science Chapter 3 Notes – Election and Representation: Key Points for Quick Revision

These CBSE Class 11 Political Science notes for Chapter 3 offer a concise and structured summary of “Election and Representation.” Understand different methods of elections and the features of the Indian system, including reserved constituencies and the crucial role of the Election Commission. Reviewing these key points will help you revise efficiently for exams.

Use these notes to clarify concepts like First Past the Post system, proportional representation, and free and fair elections. The chapter also covers recent reforms and the significance of electoral rules in strengthening democracy. Make use of organized summaries and data to solidify your understanding and boost your confidence for tests.