SST ( Political science ) for Class 9 ( Democratic politics – | ) Very Short Questions answer

Q1: Who called the Right to Constitutional Remedies as ‘the heart and soul of the Constitution?
Ans: Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar called the Right to Constitutional Remedies ‘the heart and soul of the Constitution’.

Q2: Women in Saudi Arabia are subjected to many public restrictions. Give one example.
Ans: In Saudi Arabia, women face significant public restrictions. One notable example is that the testimony of one man is deemed equal to that of two women. This inequality highlights the broader issue of gender discrimination within the country.

Q3: What are rights?
Ans: Rights are reasonable claims of persons recognised by society and sanctioned by law.

Q4: When do the socially recognised claims acquire real force?
Ans: The socially recognised claims acquire real forces when they are written into law.

Q5: When is it called a violation or infringement of rights?
Ans: When fellow citizens or the government do not respect the rights recognised by society, it is called a violation or infringement of rights.

Q6: What can citizens do in case of violation of their rights?
Ans: In case of violation of their rights, citizens can approach courts to protect their rights.

Q7: What are called Fundamental Rights?
Ans: In India, like most other democracies in the world, the basic rights of the citizens are written down in the Constitution. These rights are fundamental to our lives and are called Fundamental Rights.

Q8: What is called the rule of law?
Ans: The rule of law means that everyone is equal before the law. No person is above the law. There cannot be any distinction between a political leader, a government official, and an ordinary citizen.

Q9: What does the word ‘equality’ mean?
Ans: Equality means providing everyone with the same chances to succeed based on their abilities.

Q10: What does ‘Freedom’ mean in practical life?
Ans: In Practical life, freedom means the absence of interference in our affairs by others—be it other individuals or the government.

Q11: Why is freedom of speech and expression essential for an individual?
Ans: Our ideas and personality develop only when we can freely communicate with others.

Q12: The Constitution says that no person can be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. What does it mean?
Ans: It means that no person can be deprived of life except by a procedure established by law. It also means that a government or police cannot arrest or detain any citizen unless he has proper legal justification.

Q13: What is meant by ‘right against exploitation?
Ans: It means that every citizen has a right not to be exploited. If it happens, one can approach the courts to get justice.

Q14: What idea is secularism based on?
Ans: Secularism is based on the idea that the state is concerned only with relations among human beings, and not with the relations between human beings and God.

Q15: Give one feature of a secular state.
Ans: A secular state does not establish any one religion as an official religion.

Q16: What is meant by the Right to Constitutional Remedies?
Ans: It is possible that sometimes our fundamental rights may be violated by fellow citizens, private bodies, or the government. When any of our rights are violated we can seek remedy through courts. This is called the Right to Constitutional Remedies.

Q17: What do you know about the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India?
Ans: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is an autonomous public body constituted on 12 October 1993 under the protection of the Human Rights Ordinance of 28 September 1993. It focuses on helping the victims secure their human rights.

Q18: What is the Right to Information Act?
Ans: Parliament has enacted a law giving the right to information to the citizens. This act was made under the Fundamental Right to freedom of thought and expression. We have a right to seek information from the government offices.

Q19: Is the right to property a Fundamental Right?
Ans: No, the property right is not a Fundamental Right but it is a Constitutional right.

Q20: Name two rights that are not Fundamental Rights but are Constitutional rights.
Ans: Right to property, Right to vote in elections.

Q1: Who is the supreme commander of the defence forces in India?
Ans: The President is the supreme commander of the defence forces in India.

Q2: Name the three institutions that play a key role in major decisions of the country.
Ans: Legislature, executive, and judiciary.

Q3: What is the national level government called?
Ans: The national level government is called Central Government, Union Government, or just Government of India.

Q4: What is the full form of SEBC?
Ans: SEBC stands for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.

Q5: Who headed the Second Backward Classes Commission in 1979? What was it popularly called?
Ans: B.P Mandal headed the Second Backward Classes Commission in 1979. It was popularly called the Mandal Commission.

Q6: Mention one of the major recommendations made by the Mandal Commission.
Ans: It recommended that 27 per cent of government jobs be reserved for the socially and educationally backward classes.

Q7: What modification did the Supreme Court make in the Mandal Commission’s recommendations?
Ans: The Supreme Court said that well-to-do persons among the backward classes should be excluded from getting the benefit of reservation.

Q8: What is called Parliament?
Ans: A national assembly of elected representatives is called Parliament. It exercises supreme political authority on behalf of the people.

Q9: Which institution plays a central role in Modern democracies?
Ans: It is the Parliament that plays a central role in modern democracies.

Q10: In our country, the Parliament consists of two houses. Name them.
Ans: The Council of States or the Rajya Sabha, and The House of the people or the Lok Sabha.

Q11: Who are called civil servants?
Ans: Persons working in civil services are called civil servants.

Q12: What is the function of the civil servants?
Ans: The civil servants work under the political executive and assist them in carrying out the day-to-day administration.

Q13: Whom does the President appoint as the Prime Minister of India?
Ans: The president appoints the leader of the majority party as the Prime Minister of India.

Q14: In which matter does the Lok Sabha exercise more powers?
Ans: The Lok Sabha exercises more powers in money matters.

Q15: Who are Cabinet Ministers?
Ans: Cabinet Ministers are usually top-level leaders of the ruling party or parties who are in charge of the major ministries.

Q16: Why is parliamentary democracy in most countries often known as the Cabinet form of government?
Ans: It is not practical for all ministers to meet regularly and discuss everything; decisions are taken in Cabinet meetings. The ministers may have different views and opinions, but everyone has to own up to every decision of the cabinet.

Q17: Every ministry has secretaries. What functions do these secretaries perform?
Ans: The secretaries provide the necessary background information to the ministers to take decisions.

Q18: Who is the most powerful within the Cabinet?
Ans: Within the Cabinet, it is the Prime Minister who is the most powerful.

Q19: Who is the head of the State?
Ans: The President is the head of the State.

Q20: Who elects the President of India?
Ans: The President of India is indirectly elected by the elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies (MLAs).

Q21: What do you mean by the Presidential form of government?
Ans: In the presidential system, it is the president who is both the head of the state and the head of the government.

Q22: What is called the judiciary?
Ans: All the courts at different levels in a country put together are called the judiciary.

Q23: What does the Indian judiciary consist of?
Ans: The Indian judiciary consists of a Supreme Court for the entire nation, High Courts in the states, District courts, and the courts at the local level.

Q24: What is meant by an integrated judiciary?
Ans: An integrated judiciary means the Supreme Court controls the judicial administration in the country. Its decisions are binding on all other courts of the country.

Q25: What do you mean by ‘independence of the judiciary’?
Ans: Independence of the judiciary means that it is not under the control of the legislature or the executive. The judges do not act on the direction of the government or according to the wishes of the party in power.

Q1: What is called election?
Ans: The mechanism by which people can choose their representatives at regular intervals and change them if they wish to do so is called election.

Q2: Mention one demerit of an electoral competition.
Ans: Electoral competition creates a sense of disunity and factionalism in every locality.

Q3: Mention one merit of an electoral competition.
Ans: Regular electoral competition provides incentives to political parties and leaders. It helps to force political parties and leaders to serve the people.

Q4: What are called electoral constituencies?
Ans: The country is divided into different areas for purposes of elections. These areas are called electoral constituencies.

Q5: Who is called of Member of Parliament or a M.P.?
Ans: The representative elected from each constituency is called a Member of Parliament or a M.P.

Q6: How many seats are reserved in rural and urban local bodies for women candidates?
Ans: One-third of the seats are reserved in rural and urban local bodies for women candidates.

Q7: What is called the Electoral Roll or the Voters’ List?
Ans: In a democratic election, the list of those who are eligible to vote is prepared much before the election and given to everyone. This list is officially called the Electoral Roll or the Voters’ List.

Q8: In our country, who can vote in an election?
Ans: In our country, all the citizens aged 18 years and above can vote in an election. Every citizen has the right to vote, regardless of his/her caste, religion or gender.

Q9: Name the card the voters are required to carry when they go out to vote. Why should they carry this card?
Ans: The voters are required to carry Election Photo Identify Card or EPIC when they go out to vote. They should carry this card so that no one can vote for someone else.

Q10: What are the proofs of identity other than EPIC that the voters can show for voting?
Ans: The proofs of identity other than EPIC that the voters can show for voting are—the ration card or the driving licence.

Q11: What is called party ‘ticket’?
Ans: Political parties nominate their candidates who get the party symbol and support. Party’s nomination is often called party ‘ticket’.

Q12: What is the main purpose of election?
Ans: The main purpose of election is to give people a chance to choose the representatives, the government and the policies they prefer.

Q13: Which slogan was given by Janata Party in the Lok Sabha election held in 1977?
Ans: Save Democracy was the slogan given by Janata Party in the Lok Sabha election held in 1977.

Q14: Name the leader who used the slogan ‘Protect the Self-Respect of the Telugus’ in Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections in 1983.
Ans: N.T. Rama Rao.

Q15: Why is it necessary to regulate election campaigns?
Ans: It is sometimes necessary to regulate election campaigns to ensure that every political party and candidate get a fair and equal chance to compete.

Q16: What is a ballot paper?
Ans: A ballot paper is a sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting candidates along with party name and symbols are listed.

Q17: Which machine is used to record votes nowadays?
Ans: Nowadays electronic voting machines are used to record votes.

Q18: What does electronic voting machine or EVM show?
Ans: The machine shows the names of the candidates and the party symbols.

Q19: Who is declared elected?
Ans: The candidate who secures the highest number of votes from a constituency is declared elected.

Q20: Who appoints the Chief Election Commissioner or CEC?
Ans: The President of India appoints the Chief Election Commissioner.

Q21: How is people’s participation in election measured?
Ans: People participation in election is usually measured by voters turnout figures. Turnout indicates the per cent of eligible voters who actually cast their votes.

Q22: Who vote in large proportion in India?
Ans: In India, the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in large proportion.

Q23: Under whose control do government officers work when on election duty?
Ans: When on election duty, government officers work under the control of the Election Commission and not the government.

Q24: What do candidates do during the period of election campaigns?
Ans: During the election campaigns, the candidates contact their voters, political leaders, address elections meeting and political parties mobilise their supporters.

Q25: What is called a general election?
Ans: Elections are held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same day or within a few days. This is called a general election.

Q1: What was apartheid?
Ans: Apartheid was a system of racial discrimination practised in South Africa some decades ago. It was imposed by the white Europeans on the blacks. It was another name of exploitation and oppression.

Q2: Why was Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964?
Ans: He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964 because he dared to raise voice against the system of apartheid in his country.

Q3: What were the people of mixed races called in South Africa?
Ans: In South Africa, people of mixed races were referred to as ‘coloured’.

Q4: Name the groups that fought against the apartheid system.
Ans: Groups that fought against apartheid:

• Blacks
• Coloured
• Indians

Q5: Which political party in South Africa led the struggle against the policies of segregation?
Ans: The African National Congress (ANC) was the main organisation that led the fight against the policies of segregation in South Africa.

Q6: Who was Vallabhbhai Patel?
Ans: Vallabhbhai Patel was a prominent Indian leader known for his significant contributions to the country’s independence movement.

Q7: What was the Indian National Congress’s resolution at its Karachi session in 1931?
Ans: The resolution at the Karachi session of the Indian National Congress in 1931 focused on the framework of an independent India’s Constitution.

Q8: On what basis do we say that the British had introduced very weak legislatures?
Ans: The British rule had given voting rights only to a few. On that basis, we say that the British had introduced very weak legislatures.

Q9: When did the Indian Constitution come into force?
Ans: The Indian Constitution came into force on 26th January 1950.

Q10: When did the Constituent Assembly adopt the Constitution?
Ans: The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949.

Q11: Who played a key role in the making of the Indian Constitution?
Ans: Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar played a key role in the making of the Indian Constitution.

Q12: Which national leader tried to draft a Constitution for India as far back as in 1928?
Ans: In 1928, Motilal Nehru and eight other Congress leaders attempted to draft a Constitution for India.

Q13: Name some important members of the Constituent Assembly?
Ans: Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Kanhaiyalal Maniklal Munshi, etc.

Q14: What do you know about G. Durgabai Deshmukh?
Ans: She was born in Andhra Pradesh. She was an advocate and public activist for women’s emancipation. She founded Andhra Mahila Sabha.

Q15: The Preamble to the Indian Constitution begins with ‘We’ the people of India’. What does this mean?
Ans: It means the Constitution has been drawn up and enacted by the people through their representatives, and not handed down to them by a king or any outside powers.

Q16: Why is India called a ‘republic’?
Ans: India is called a ‘republic’ because here the head of the state is an elected person and not a hereditary position.

Q17: Highlight any one similarity between the story of South African struggle for freedom and the Indian National Movement.
Ans: The leaders of both the struggles i.e. Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela followed the same policy— the policy of non-violence and they remained stick to this policy till the last.

Q18: What do you mean when you say ‘India is a sovereign country’?
Ans: It means people have supreme right to make decisions on internal as well as external matters. No external power can dictate the Government of India.

Q19: What do you mean when you say ‘India is a secular country?
Ans: It means the citizens of India have complete freedom to follow any religion. There is no official religion. Government treats all religious beliefs and practices with equal respect.

Q20: Why did Dr B.R. Ambedkar often criticize Mahatma Gandhi?
Ans: Dr B.R. Ambedkar often bitterly criticized Mahatma Gandhi because he (Mahatma Gandhi) held different understanding of how inequalities could be removed from the Indian society.

Q21: How would you define the term ‘Preamble’?
Ans: It is an introductory statement in a Constitution which states the reasons and guiding values of the Constitution.

Q22: Why does the Constitution of India need to be amended quite regularly?
Ans: The Constitution of India is a very long and detailed document. Therefore it needs to be amended quite regularly to keep it updated.

Q23: What is meant by the term ‘socialist’?
Ans: The term ‘socialist’ means wealth is generated socially and should be shared equally by society. Government should regulate the ownership of land and industry to reduce socioeconomic inequalities.

Q24: ‘Justice’ is a term used in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution. What does it mean?
Ans: The term ‘justice’ means citizens cannot be discriminated on the grounds of caste, religion and gender.

Q25: What is meant by the term ‘liberty’ used in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution?
Ans: ‘Liberty’ means there are no unreasonable restrictions on the citizens in what they think, how they wish to express their thoughts and the way they wish to follow up their thoughts in action.

Q1: Give a simple definition of ‘democracy’.
Ans: Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people.

Q2: Who led a military coup in Pakistan in 1999?
Ans: General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in Pakistan in 1999.

Q3: Which party is associated with Zimbabwe’s freedom struggle?
Ans: It is ZANU-PF.

Q4: Name one non-democratic country.
Ans: China.

Q5: What is the Chinese parliament called?
Ans: It is called Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (National People’s Congress).

Q6: Which party rules in Zimbabwe?
Ans: ZANU-PF, the party that led the freedom struggle, rules in Zimbabwe.

Q7: Who is the leader of ZANU-PF?
Ans: Robert Mugabe is the leader of this party.

Q8: What is called dictatorship?
Ans: A dictator is a ruler who wields absolute power. A state ruled by a dictator is called a dictatorship.

Q9: Which party in China always forms the government?
Ans: The Communist Party always forms the government in China.

Q10: Suggest the strongest argument in favor of Democracy?
Ans: It allows a way of correcting its mistakes and offers more dignity to all citizens.

Q11: Holding elections of any kind is not sufficient. What must the elections offer?
Ans: The elections must offer a real choice between political alternatives. And it should be possible for people to use this choice to remove the existing rulers if they wish so.

Q12: What leads to instability in a democracy? Give one reason.
Ans: Leaders keep changing in a democracy. This leads to instability.

Q13: What was the designation taken by Pervez Musharraf for himself when he overthrew the democratic government of Pakistan in 1999?
Ans: He declared himself the ‘Chief Executive’ of Pakistan. Later he changed his designation to President.

Q14: What is meant by political equality?
Ans: Political equality means that in a democracy, each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value.

Q15: Which country does not give voting rights to minorities?
Ans: Estonia does not give voting rights to minorities.

Q16: Why is quality decision-making a possibility in a democracy?
Ans: A democratic decision always involves many persons, discussions, and meetings. This improves the quality of decision-making.

Q17: What do you mean when you talk about true democracy?
Ans: True democracy means that all citizens must take active participation in it.

Q18: Give one feature of a non-democratic government.
Ans: A non-democratic government denies equal right to vote. Also, it does not respond to the people’s needs.

Q19: What is meant by representative democracy?
Ans: It is a form of government where representatives elected by people, rule them on their behalf.

Q20: Which form of government is considered non-democratic?
Ans: Military rule or monarchy is considered non-democratic.

Q21: Give Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy.
Ans: “Democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people”.

Q22: The word democracy comes from a Greek word ‘Demokratia’. What does it mean? Or what is the word ‘democracy’ derived from?
Ans: The word ‘Demokratia’ is a combination of two words—‘demos’ which means people and ‘Kratia’ which means rule. So, democracy is rule by the people.