JKBOSE 9th Class Social Science Solutions Chapter 6 Electoral Politics in the Erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir 

Elections : Elections are the most important aspect of the democratic set up. Democracies exist only if elections are held.

Elections in J&K : Election process in J&K ware started with the recommendations of Glancy Commissions. That’s why Maharaja Hari Singh adopted Legislative Assembly with 75 members.

First Elections in J&K. : The first elections in J&K were held in 1934 with 33 elected members.

Constituent Assembly in J&K. On 26h Oct., 1947, Jammu and Kashmir became a part of the Indian Union. On 1st May, 1951, a proclamation was issued for the formation of Constituent Assembly to draft erstwhile State’s Constitution. The Constitution of J&K was adopted in 1957.

Legislative Assembly : The initial legislative Assembly was composed of 100 members and then increased to 111 members, 87 seats were filled through direct elections and rest were reserved for PoJK.

Elections in different times : Elections were held in J&K in 1957, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1983, 1987, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014 and different parties won at different times.

Ans.— In 1967, elections were held in J&K. At that time Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq was Chief Minister. This was the time when National Conference was merged with Indian National Congress. The Congress won 61 seats. The Jan Sangh (initially Praja Parishad) won 3 seats. Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad’s faction of National Conference won 8 seats and 3 seats were won by the independent candidates. The voting percentage during this election was 58.79%.

(a) The first ever (Praja Sabha) Legislative Assembly through the regulations of Maharaja Hari Singh were condusted.	(i) May 1st, 1951
(b) The proclamation for the formation of Constituent Assembly was issued on	(ii) After 1987 elections
(c) Legislative Assembly suspected for six years.	(iii) 193

Ans.— (a)—(iii), (b)—(i), (c)—(ii).

Ans.— This statement is wrong because Maharaja Hari Singh ruled J&K till accession of the state with India but he prompted to adopted Assembly recommendations of Glancy Commission. But it has limited electoral component.

Ans.— No, this practice is not applicable in the present age. After the Indian Constitution come into force on 26th January, 1950, Universal Adult Franchise was adopted and all the adult citizens were given right to vote and right after 1952, they are using this right.

(i) Glancy Commission

(ii) Cabinet Mission

(iii) Cripps Mission

(iv) Simon Commission.

Ans.— (i) Glancy Commission.

(i) 1933

(ii) 1934

(iii) 1947

(iv) 1952.

Ans.— (ii) 1934.

(i) 26 Jan., 1947

(ii) 15 Aug., 1947

(iii) 26 Oct., 1947

(iv) 26 Jan., 1950.

Ans.— (iii) 26 Oct. 1947.

(i) 87

(ii) 107

(iii) 117

(iv) 119.

Ans.— (i) 87.

(i) Sadar-e-Riyasat

(ii) Constituent Assembly

(iii) Legislative Assembly

(iv) Prime Minister.

Ans.— (ii) Constituent Assembly.

(i) Sheikh Abdullah

(ii) Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq

(iii) Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad

(iv) Omar Abdullah.

Ans.— (iii) Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad.

(i)  Jan Sangh

(ii) Congress

(iii) PDP

(iv) National Conference.

Ans.— (i) Jan Sangh.

1. In 1967, Assembly elections were held when the Chief Minister was ……… .

2. In 1977, Congress won ……. seats.

3. In 2014, PDP won ……. seats.

4. The first Assembly elections were held in ……….. under the new Constitution.

5. Electoral politics in J&K moved from single party dominance to .………… politics.

Ans.— 1. Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq, 2. 10, 3. 28, 4. 1957, 5. coalition.

1. Congress party demanded wider franchise to accommodate public demand.

2. In 1938, Muslim Conference was converted into National Conference.

3. Dr. Karan Singh, in 1951, issued a proclamation for the formation Constituent Assembly.

4. The total contestable seats were 117 in J&K.

5. The elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in 1951.

Ans.— 1. False, 2. True, 3. True, 4. False, 5. True.

Ans.— The election system is the life line of the modern political societies.

Ans.— With the Glancy Commission’s recommendations, the election process started in India.

Ans.— Due to the recommendations of Glancy Commission.

Ans.— 30 nominations.

Ans.— Muslim Conference demanded wider voting rights to accommodate public demand for representation.

Ans.— On 27th March, 1938.

Ans.— Sadar-e-Riyasat Dr. Karan Singh issued a proclamation on 1st May, 1951 for the formation of Constituent Assembly in the erstwhile state of J&K.

Ans.— Adult Franchise was the base of the elections to the Constituent Assembly.

Ans.— 87 seats.

Ans.— In the assembly elections of 1987.

Ans.— A system in which all the adults of a country enjoy right to vote to elect their representatives.

Ans.— (i) This assembly of 1934 had limited electoral component.

(ii) It had 33 elected members out of which 21 were reserved for Muslims.

(iii) It has reserved 10 seats for Hindus, 2 for Sikhs and 30 seats reserved as special nominations of Maharaja out of which 12 nominations were restricted to state bureaucracy or official members.

Ans.— Muslim conference passed a resolution in 1932 and demanded wider franchise to accomodate public demand for representation and accountable government responsible on the floor of legislative assembly. As a result, Muslim ble on the floor of conference gained popularity and in 1937, it was able to get 19 out of of 21 seats reserved for Muslims. On 27th March, 1938, Muslim Conference got converted into National Conference.

Ans.— On 26th October, 1947, Jammu and Kashmir became a part of India by signing the treaty of Accession. It motivated Sadar-e-Riyasat Dr. Karan Singh and he issued a proclamation directing the formation of Constituent Assembly cum Legislative Assembly. Then Constituent Assembly was Constituent Assembly on the basis of Adult Franchise and its function was to draft the Constituent Assembly. This Assembly was initially composed of 100 members.

Ans.— (i) Through this Act, total number of members of legislative Assembly was increaed to 111 from 100 members.

(ii) The total contestable and filled seats of the legislative Assembly were 87 and rest were reserved for PoJK.

(iii) Out of 87 seats, 7 seats were reserved for Scheduled Castes and all these 7 seats fall in Jammu region.

Ans.— (i) In 1967, total voting percentage was 58.79%.

(ii) The total voting percentage in 1972 was recorded at 62.17%

(iii) In 1977, 67.70% people used their right to vote.

(iv) In 1983, the total voting percentage was 73.24%

(v) In 1987, it was 74.88% and in 1996, the voting percentage was recorded at 53.92%.

(vi) In 2002, it was recorded only at 45% and in 2008, it increased upto 60.5%

(vii) In 2014, the overall voting percentage was 65.52%.

Ans.— (i) In 1957, first Assembly elections were held in which National Conference won 68 seats with 41 seats unopposed. 5 seats won by Praja Parishad and one each went to Harijan Mandal and independent.

(ii) In 1967, when National Conference got merged with Congress, it won 61 seats. 3 seats went to Jan Sangh, 8 won by Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad’s faction of National Conference and 3 to indenpedent candidates.

(iii) In 1972, Congress won two third majority by winning 58 seats. The Jan sangh won 5 seats, Jamait-i-Islami won 5 seats and the remaining seats were won by the independent candidates.

(iv) In 1977, 47 seats were won by the revived National Conference. Indian National Congress won 10 seats, Janata Party won 13 seats, Jamait-i-Islami won 1 seat and 4 seats went over to independent candidates.

Ans.— (i) In 1983, elections were held in J&K in which National Conference won 47 seats and congress won 26 seats. One seat went to Jamait-i-Islami and 2 seats were won by the Muslim United Front.

(ii) In 1987, National Conference had an alliance with Congress and it won 40 seats. In 1996, National Conference won 57 out of 87 seats.

(iii) In 2002, Congress won 20 seats, PDP won 16 seats, Panthers Party won 4 seats and BJP won 1 seat.

(iv) In 2008, elections were held and National Conference won 28 seats, PDP won 21 seats, Congress won 17 seats and BJP won 11 seats, Panthers Party won 3 seats.

(v) In 2014 elections were held and PDP won 28 seats and BJP won 25 seats. They both collectively formed the govt. National Conference won 15 seats and congress won 12 seats.