Communalism in Electoral Politics
Indian Polity & Governance
- PYQs1
- Articles1
Background
Communalism is a persistent challenge to India's secular democracy, impacting social harmony, political representation, and governance. Its role in electoral outcomes is a critical area of study for understanding contemporary Indian politics and its challenges.
Communalism, defined as the aggressive assertion of one's own religious identity over others, often manifests in electoral politics through the mobilization of voters along religious lines, leading to polarization and impacting representation. It poses a significant challenge to India's secular fabric and democratic principles.
Facts & tables
- Voter Polarization
- Consolidation of votes along religious lines (e.g., Hindu vote against perceived overreliance on Muslim vote).
- Minority Representation
- Reduced representation of minority communities in ruling parties/alliances despite significant population share.
- Electoral Process Integrity
- Allegations of 'ethnic cleansing' or targeting of specific religious groups in electoral processes (e.g., voter roll revisions).
- Delimitation Impact
- Impact of constituency delimitation on minority representation.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Indian Polity & Governance |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Election Commission of India | Ensures fair elections, addresses malpractices |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Communal polarization observed in Assam & West Bengal elections.
- Reduced Muslim representation in ruling parties despite significant population.
- Concerns over voter roll revisions targeting minorities.
- Impact on India's multi-religious, multi-cultural identity.
- Challenges to the principles of secular democracy.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
Timeline
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Indian Polity & Governance
Conceptual area
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Prelims 2023
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
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Assembly poll results that recast the political landscape
The article highlights the increasing role of communal politics in state elections, leading to voter polarization, reduced minority representation in ruling parties, and concerns over the fairness of electoral processes like voter roll revisions and delimitation.
See also
No related topics linked yet.
In the news
Assembly poll results that recast the political landscape
The article highlights the increasing role of communal politics in state elections, leading to voter polarization, reduced minority representation in ruling parties, and concerns over the fairness of electoral processes like voter roll revisions and delimitation.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements in respect of election to the President of India:
1. The members nominated to either House of the Parliament or the Legislative Assemblies of States are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College.
2. Higher the number of elective Assembly seats, higher is the value of vote of each MLA of that State.
3. The value of vote of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is greater than that of Kerala.
4. The value of vote of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh because the ratio of total population to total number of elective seats in Puducherry is greater as compared to Arunachal Pradesh
How many of the above statements are correct?
* Statement 1 is incorrect: The elected members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament that is the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha as well as the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and Union Territories (Delhi, Puducherry and J&K) comprise the electoral college for the Presidential Election in India. * Statement 2 is incorrect: The value of the vote of each MLA depends on the ratio of the States population and the number of MLAs in its legislative Assembly. By dividing the States population by the number of MLAs in its legislative Assembly, and then further dividing the quotient achieved by 1000, one may calculate the value of each MLAs vote. Based on a calculation that takes into account each States population about the number of members in its legislative Assembly, each MLAs vote value varies from State to State. According to the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act of 2001, the population of the States is currently calculated using data from the 1971 Census. * Statement 3 is incorrect: The vote value of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is less than that of the vote value of each MLA of Kerala as the ratio of total population to total elective seats in Kerala is greater relative to that in Madhya Pradesh. * Statement 4 is correct: The vote value of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh as the ratio of total population to total elective seats in Puducherry is greater relative to that in Arunachal Pradesh. In the 2022 Presidential election, the vote value of each MLA from Puducherry was 16 whereas the vote value of each MLA from Arunachal Pradesh came out to be 8.