Elections in the world’s largest democracy are underway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s power is ascendant. But, like in other global democracies, so are concerns about religious nationalism and democratic decline.
Voters line up to cast their ballot outside a polling station in Dugeli village during the first phase of voting of India's general election on April 19, 2024. "India is ceasing to be a liberal democracy but it is an electoral democracy," Varshney said."If ... the next election in India is not competitive and opposition party leaders are put in jail, then we are heading towards an electoral autocracy.
CHAKRABARTI: India’s elections unfold over the course of 40 days. They began on April 19. Voting ends on June 1st. Results are tabulated and released on June 4th. CHAKRABARTI: Amazing, when you think about it. At this point, it’s expected that the current ruling party, the BJP, will make a strong showing this election. And likely returning prime minister Narendra Modi to India’s leadership for a third term. Chandra says the BJP’s strength is due to a number of reasons, including a disjointed and rudderless opposition.
CHAKRABARTI: Earlier this year Prime Minister Modi predicted that his party, the BJP-led alliance and its allies would win 400 out of 543 parliamentary seats available, that would be a huge majority. Of course, we don't yet know what's going to happen because elections are still ongoing. Vikram Chandra says the opposition is warning of the dangers of a win like that.
Now here's the thing. India has always been a massive and dynamic laboratory for the expansive possibilities and limits of modern democratic systems. We are talking about the governance of the most populous, multi-religious, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic country in the world. VARSHNEY: I have made the claim thus far that India is not a, India is seizing to be a liberal democracy, but it is an electoral democracy. If, for example, the next election in India is not competitive and opposition party leaders are put in jail, then we are heading towards an electoral autocracy.
There is no doubt that Mr. Modi or the Modi government, through its actions, was trying to restrict electoral competition.
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