RISE OF DEMOCRACY IN INDIA

One of the most important achievements of India in years since independence is the adoption of democratic polity and adhering to it despite the odds. As political scientist Samuel Huntington observed India in this context is “is the dramatic exception”.

Historical Setup

1. Ancient India:
   • Democratic Republics: India has a long history of democratic practices. One of the earliest republics was in Vaishali (modern-day Bihar), dating back to the 6th century BCE.
   • Mahajanapadas: Ancient republics were known as Mahajanapadas, and deliberative bodies such as Sabhas and Samitis existed to discuss governance.
   • Panchayat System: Some republics also had Panchayat systems, which involved local self-governance through elected councils.
2. Colonial Era:
   • Anti-colonial movements: Leaders like Nehru, Gandhi, and Ambedkar fought against British rule and promoted the idea of democracy. They were pivotal in advocating universal adult franchise in a nation where literacy was low.
   • Government of India Act, 1935: This act laid the foundation for democratic rule in India, including the establishment of parliamentary governance.
   • Gandhi’s Village Republic Model: Gandhi advocated for local village republics, but India adopted the Westminster model (British system) of parliamentary democracy.
   • Universal Adult Franchise: India granted universal suffrage in 1950, under Article 326 of the Constitution, laying a strong democratic base.
   • Initial Challenges: Despite high illiteracy rates, diversity, and economic challenges, Indian leadership remained committed to democratic institutions.
3. After Independence:
   • Testing time: Indian democracy survived significant challenges like the partition, population exchange with Pakistan, the integration of over 500 princely states, and wars with Pakistan and China.
   • From single-party to multi-party: Post-independence, India transitioned from a single-party dominance (Congress) to a multi-party system, with strong opposition political parties.

1. Present Scenario:
   • Nature of Indian Polity: India currently operates as a parliamentary democracy with a federal structure where leaders are elected by citizens of various castes, classes, religions, and regions.

India’s First Parliamentary Election

• Uphill task: Organizing the first general election was a massive challenge, as it was the largest democratic exercise in the world.
• Quantum of Election: At that time, there were 17 crore eligible voters, and elections were held to elect 489 MPs for the Lok Sabha and 3,200 MLAs for the state assemblies.

• Illiterate population: Only 15% of the 17 crore eligible voters were literate.
  • Election Commission’s innovative methods: Special methods were introduced, like identifying candidates with symbols (e.g., for parties and independent candidates). Ballot papers had symbols to assist voters in casting their votes correctly, and voting was done in secrecy.
• Biggest training exercise: Over 3 lakh officers and polling staff were trained to ensure the election was conducted smoothly.
• Skepticism: Many people were doubtful about whether democratic elections could be conducted in India, given the vast illiteracy, poverty, and social backwardness.
• Successful completion of elections: The elections were held from October 25, 1951, to February 21, 1952, over four months, and were widely considered free, fair, and orderly, with little violence.

People’s Response

• Tremendous response: The public’s engagement in the elections was impressive. People realized the value of their vote, despite limited political experience.
• Celebrated as a festival: In several places, people treated the polling process as a festival, donning festive attire.
• Low invalid votes: Even though a significant portion of the population was illiterate, the number of invalid votes was remarkably low, between 0.3% and 0.4%.
• Wide participation of women: About 40% of eligible women participated in the elections, reflecting gender participation in the democratic process.
• Faith in leadership: The high turnout (46%) justified the public’s faith in the newly formed democratic government.

Establishment of Democratic Institutions

• Courts: The independence of the judiciary was strengthened, and courts played a crucial role in upholding constitutional values.
• Parliament: Parliament gained respect and importance in the political system, with significant efforts to sustain its prestige and power.
• Parliamentary Committees: Committees such as the Estimates Committee became essential in critiquing and monitoring government functions, thus reinforcing checks and balances.
• Cabinet System: Under Nehru’s leadership, the cabinet system functioned effectively and healthily, shaping early governance in India.
• Federalism: The devolution of power to states became a significant feature, as envisioned in the Indian Constitution.
• Supremacy established: The supremacy of civil government over the armed forces was solidified, ensuring democratic control over military affairs.

Challenges

• Government failure: Wild rumors and conspiracies sometimes led to civil unrest, street protests, and violence. The Armed Forces Act was often invoked to control such agitation.
• Weak Institutions: Vulnerabilities in the judiciary and political institutions sometimes emerged, leading to concerns over state capture and threats to democratic values and constitutional principles.

• Weakening of social fabric: When the social structure deteriorates, democracy faces threats, leading to a slow decay. People may feel a sense of legal powerlessness when constitutional promises of justice, liberty, and equality are unfulfilled.
• Inequality in Society: Significant imbalances in wealth, combined with chronic violence, famine, and poor living conditions, undermine the core democratic principle that all citizens are of equal worth.
• Unavailability of Basic Amenities: Issues like domestic violence, poor healthcare, and lack of food and shelter harm people’s dignity, weakening democracy’s foundation.
• Unheard Vulnerable Populations: Democracies often fail to amplify the voices of the vulnerable, leading to a system where the rich and powerful dominate.
• Demagoguery: Democratically elected governments may cease to be accountable when faced with social problems like poverty, low morale, and joblessness. In such cases, leaders might resort to blind populism and poor governance.
• Ineffective Redistribution: Without effective public welfare policies that guarantee food, shelter, healthcare, and education, the ideals of democracy are hollowed out, leaving the poor and downtrodden at a disadvantage.

Recent Incidents

1. Reports and Indices:
   • Democracy Index: In 2020, India slipped from 27th to 53rd in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual Democracy Index.
   • Global indices: Organizations like Freedom House and V-Dem have raised concerns about the state of democracy in India.
   • Varieties of Democracy Project (Sweden): This project indicated that India is shifting towards an “electoral autocracy”. These reports, however, have been met with resistance from the Indian government.
2. Individual Incidences:
   • Sedition charge on journalists: Eight journalists covering the Delhi protests on January 26th were charged with sedition, accused of promoting communal disharmony.
   • Toolkit Case: Charges were also filed against 22-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi for allegedly sharing advocacy materials related to farmers’ protests, considered as having overseas involvement.
   • Twitter Suppression: The government allegedly pressured Twitter to remove accounts criticizing its handling of protests. Twitter faced threats of legal action under Indian law if it didn’t comply with government demands.
   • Internet Shutdown: The BJP government also cut off mobile internet access in certain areas during protests, citing concerns over public order and national security. This move was seen as limiting protesters’ abilities to organize and mobilize.

Way Forward

1. People Participation: The government and civil institutions must encourage active public participation in decision-making processes. This enhances democratic engagement and strengthens the democratic system.
2. Constructive Criticism: Constructive criticism is essential for the health of a democracy. The government must be open to critique and address it proactively without suppressing dissent or opposing voices.
3. Equality: The government should ensure that all citizens are treated equally, without favoring any particular group. Upholding equality is a cornerstone of a functioning democracy.
4. Purposive Interpretation: The judiciary must interpret the Constitution with the intent to serve the people’s best interests, while maintaining the integrity of institutions. Constitutional interpretation should be guided by the people’s welfare.
5. Good Governance: Government schemes and programs should focus on enabling good governance. The role of the judiciary in articulating constitutional principles should guide the government’s functioning toward effective governance.
6. Checks on Executive Powers: The press and the judiciary are pillars of Indian democracy and must operate independently. This ensures that executive powers are properly checked, and any form of executive interference is minimized to allow transparent auditing and accountability.
7. Need for Strong Opposition: A strong democracy requires a strong opposition to provide an alternative to the ruling government. Without a vibrant opposition, elections lose their role in holding power accountable, and the democratic process becomes weakened.
8. Social Equality: Redistributive public welfare policies should be effective in reducing societal inequalities. The government must prioritize policies that ensure social and economic equality and promote inclusive growth for all citizens.