Page 1 - LN-DEMOCRATIC RESURGENCE

LESSON NOTES

CHAPTER- DEMOCRATIC RESURGENCE

1. After independence, our leaders became conscious of critical role of politics in a

democracy as they wanted to run politics as a method to sort out problems as well

as to decide and pursue the public interest.

2. Indian constitution was adopted on 26 november 1949 and signed on 24 january

1950.It came into effect on 26 january 1950.

3. The Election Commission of India was set up in January 1950 and Sukumar Sen

became the first Chief Election Commissioner of India to hold elections in the

country. This commission required the drawing of the boundaries of electoral

constituencies, electoral roll consisting eligible voters to hold free and fair

elections.

4. The first general election (1952) of lndia became a landmark due to its

competitiveness, encouraging participation, fair results and proved its critics wrong

not to hold elections in conditions of poverty.

5. In the 1952 election, Congress party scored a big victory,it won 364 seats out of

the 489 seats.But it was not in power in the states like Travancore-Cochin i.e.

Kerala, Madras and Orissa. Congress dominated in India due to identification with

freedom struggle, popular appeal of charismatic leaders, a broad manifesto

including every section of society and consensus building role of party.

6. P.Jawaharlal Nehru become the Prime minister after the first general election.

7. Congress was founded by Dr. A.O. Hume in 1885 as a view to express the

feelings of discontentment changed to a political party in the form of social and

ideological coalition by accommodating different social groups and individuals

holding different beliefs and ideologies. Even in pre-independence days, many