AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
Political parties are essential to democracy — they contest elections, form governments, shape public opinion, and provide people access to government machinery. Without them, democracy cannot function effectively.
However, legal and institutional reforms have shown limited success. Anti-defection law made dissent harder; mandatory affidavits lack verification mechanisms; party elections are often a mere formality. Over-regulation can be counter-productive, as parties may find ways to bypass the law.
Therefore, real reform must come from within — citizens pressuring parties through agitations and media, and individuals actively joining politics. Since parties run democracy, only "more and better politics" — greater public participation — can truly improve them.
Source: Chapter 4, "How can parties be reformed?" and "Why do we need political parties?"
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The question has two parts: (1) why parties are indispensable, and (2) why legal reforms alone are insufficient. Examiners expect you to link both parts to arrive at the conclusion quoted. Key points: parties are a necessary condition for democracy; legal reforms have loopholes or remain formalities; the real solution is citizen pressure + participation. The concluding line from the textbook should be quoted or closely paraphrased.