(i) There term 'pressure group' originated in the USA
(ii) A pressure group is a group of people who are organised actively for promoting and defending their common interest.
(iii) It is so catted as it attempts to bring a change in the public policy by exerting pressure on the government.
(iv) They are different from the political parties i.e they neither: contest elections nor try to capture political power.

(i) A political party is an organisation formed by a group of people with a certain ideology and agenda to contest elections and hold power in the government.
(ii) A political party has three components: a leader, active members and the followers.

Merits:
(i) In a huge population country all the people can be represented by multiple parties.
(ii) Particular groups can form their own parties.
(iii) People will have multiple options to vote.
Demerits:
(i) Votes will be scattered.
(ii) It will develop groupsism.
(iii) When there is absolute majority there will be coalition government.

The principle and importance of universal adult franchise:
(i) Electorate should not be differentiated based on sex, religion, caste or language.
(ii) Ebctorate should be mature enough to select a suitable leader. So there should be a minimum age limit.
(iii) The electoral ballet should be a secret one.

Mobilising people towards socially productive activities that lead to the overall betterment of people's lives is essential. Sometimes earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and other such natural disasters on a massive scale occur and people's immediate mobilisation for evacuation and emergency relief becomes most essential.
Democratic Participation: Democracy can succeed only when smaller local groups and, in fact, every citizen can take action that supports the tax and revenue collection systems, observance of national norms in environmental protection, cleanliness, health and hygiene, sanitary drives and immunisation programmes like pulse polio. However, we must keep in mind that there is no better form of government than Democratic government. To create a better society and nation, the people of India along with the union and state governments should come together to fight against the miseries of human life.

(i) Parties contest elections. In most democracies, elections are fought mainly among the candidates put up by political parties.
(ii) Parties put forward their policies and programmes before the electorate to consider and choose.
(iii) Parties playa decisive role in making laws for a country. Formally, laws are debated and passed in the legislature.
(iv) Parties form and run the governments.
(v) Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of the Opposition to the party or a group of coalition parties in power, by voicing different views and criticising the government for its failures or wrong policies.
(vi) Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues of importance.
(vii) Parties function as the useful link between people and the government machinery.

The pressure groups in India can be broadly classified into the following categories:
1. Business groups
2. Trade unions
3. Agrarian groups
4. Professional associations
5. Student organisations
6. Religious organisations
7. Tribal organisations
8. Linguistic groups
9. Ideology-based groups
10. Environmental protection groups.

Other than the seven national parties, most of the major parties of the country are classified by the Election Commission as 'state parties'. These are commonly referred to as regional parties. A party is recognised as a state party by the Election Commission of India based on certain percentage of votes secured or a certain number of seats won in the Assembly or Lok Sabha elections.

Merits:
(i) Indirect elections are less expensive.
(ii) It is more suited to elections in large countries.
Demerits:
(i) If the number of voters is very small, there exists the possibility of corruption, bribery, horse trading and other unfair activities.
(ii) It is less democratic because people do not have a direct opportunity to elect, but they instead do it through their representatives. So, this may not reflect the true will of the people.

(i) Voters Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is the way forward to enhance credibility and transparency of the election process.
(ii) This system was first introduced in 2014 General election.