SSC CGL Study Materials - Indian Democracy

Friends, as you know the general elections are going to be held next month, this will be one of the important topics for our upcoming competitive exams (especially for the exams like SSC and Postal Assistants). So, in this post we shall discuss a few points about the Indian democracy. Happy Reading.

• Democracy - Greek words (Demos + Kratia)
• Demos - People
• Kratia - Rule
• Abraham Lincoln - Democracy is the Government of the people, by the people, for the people
• Constitution - Fundamental law of the land
• Dissent - Difference in opinion
• Right to vote - Suffrage, Franchise
• Electroate - Body of Voters
• Electroral Roll - List of Voters
• Percentage of Voters in 1937 - 14%
• Article 326 - Adult Franchise
• Election Commission - Autonomous Body
• Returning Officer - To supervise and conduct elections in a constituency
• Presiding Officer - In-charge of Polling booth
• General Election - Held at regular intervals (5 years)
• Bye election - held to fill in vacancies
• Mid-term election - held before expiry of 5 years tenure
• Important points about 2014 Elections 
• General elections
• Longest election in the country's History (9 phases)
• to constitute the 16th Lok Sabha in India
• Electoral Strength - 81.45 crores
• Present Election Commissioner - V. S. Sampath

Important years to remember :

• 1884 - The electoral principle was first introduced in India for local bodies
• 1892 - The electoral principle was first introduced in india for provincial councils
• 1950 January 25th - Election commission was formed ( celebrated as National Voters' day)
• 1952 - First general elections
• 1977 - Sixth General elections
• 1999 - 13th general elections
• 2004 - 14th general elections
• 2009 - 15th general elections
• 2014 - 16th general elections (7th April to 12th May)