NCERT Book Class 9 Social Science (Civics) Chapter 5 Democratic Rights

CHAPTER 5

DEMOCRATIC
RIGHTS

OVERVIEW
In the previous two chapters we have looked at two major elements of a
democratic government. In Chapter 3 we saw how a democratic
government has to be periodically elected by the people in a free and fair
manner. In Chapter 4 we learnt that a democracy must be based on
institutions that follow certain rules and procedures. These elements are
necessary but not sufficient for a democracy. Elections and institutions
need to be combined with a third element – enjoyment of rights – to make
a government democratic. Even the most properly elected rulers working
through the established institutional process must learn not to cross some
limits. Citizens’ democratic rights set those limits in a democracy.
This is what we take up in this final chapter of the book. We begin by
discussing some real life cases to imagine what it means to live without
rights. This leads to a discussion on what we mean by rights and why do
we need them. As in the previous chapters, the general discussion is
followed by a focus on India. We discuss one by one the Fundamental
Rights in the Indian Constitution. Then we turn to how these rights can
be used by ordinary citizens. Who will protect and enforce them? Finally
we take a look at how the scope of rights has been expanding.

74 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS