Study the cartoon given above carefully and answer the following questions:

 

(i) Identify and name the person holding in his hand, the placard ‘Save Democracy’?

 

(ii) In your opinion, the group of five persons belong to which political party?

 

(iii) According to the group of five, what are the intentions of the person sitting on ‘Dharma’?

 

(iv) Which issues responsible for the down fall of democracy are highlighted in the cartoon?

Indian democracy was never so close to a two-party system as it was during the 1977 elections. However, the next few years saw a complete change. Soon after its defeat, the Indian National Congress split into two groups ................ The Janata Party also went through major convulsions ........ David Butler, Ashok Lahiri and Prannoy Roy. –Partha Chatterjee

(a) What made the party system in India look like a two-party system in 1977 ?

(b) Many more than two parties existed in 1977. Why then are the authors describing this period as close to a two-party system ?

(c) What caused splits in Congress and the Janata parties ?

‘In the background of the ruling of the ______ Court in the ________ case, an amendment was made declaring that elections of ________,________ and Vice President could not be challenged in the court’.