The World's Largest Democracy in Action: Culmination of India's Electoral Festival

Today is the decisive day and a day to cherish. The grand festival of democracy, which commenced with the announcement of the Model Code of Conduct on April 19, culminates with the election results today. The enormity of this democratic exercise is unparalleled. India, the world’s largest democracy, has an electorate of over 968 million eligible voters in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. To put this into perspective, India’s electorate is nearly four times larger than that of the United States, nearly twenty times larger than that of the United Kingdom, and seven times larger than that of Pakistan. This vast electorate will elect 543 candidates. The exercise of polling was supported by over 15 million polling personnel across more than one million polling stations nationwide. The world watched the elections closely. Also, this festival season delegates from other nations experienced this democratic spectacle firsthand.

However, this was not always the same. Over the years, elections in India have evolved to embody the true spirit of democracy. India’s democratic roots can be traced back to the Vedic period when the earliest evidence of a democratic form of government was found. During this time, the king maintained his administrative system with the help of popular assemblies called Sabha and Samiti. These assemblies were instrumental in electing the king, making him ultimately answerable to them. However, as civilization evolved, these popular assemblies lost their significance. Although kings were bound by Rajadharma to care for their subjects, the people were largely at the mercy of royal bloodlines.

The scenario changed significantly during the freedom struggle. Indian freedom fighters began demanding representation in the Governor's council and later in the legislatures. The 1920 elections marked the beginning of direct elections in India. Before this, the colonial policy was to select a few educated Indians for the legislature to understand the masses' needs. However, increasing public sentiment for more Indian representation became hard to ignore. In response, the colonial administrators increased Indian members through limited elections in 1909, although controversially introducing a separate electorate for Muslims. The Montagu-Chelmsford report recommended establishing a national legislature with two Houses, one of which would have members directly elected by the people. It also suggested setting up legislatures at the state level with elected members. The British Parliament accepted these recommendations and passed the Government of India Act, of 1919. Before this, a full-scale electoral law was unnecessary. Eligible voters and candidates had to be British subjects. The voting age was 21, and the age for contesting elections was 25. Women could neither vote nor contest elections unless state legislatures removed the sex disqualification. The law provided for different constituencies, such as Muhammadan and non-Muhammadan (both rural and urban), Sikh, European, Landholders, and Chambers of Commerce. Voters and candidates had to meet domicile, income, and property holding criteria. Despite these, only 13% of Indians could vote. 

As India's freedom struggle gained momentum, the need for representing the people's voices became evident to the leaders. The Motilal Nehru Report of 1928, advocated adult franchise and equal rights for women and was among the first to demand universal suffrage. The resolution of the 1931 Karachi Session of the Indian National Congress also affirmed that the universal adult franchise was essential for achieving complete independence or Purna Swaraj. However, the true test lies not in aspiring to the idea of democracy but in implementing it. On June 16, 1949, the provision of universal adult suffrage was introduced by the drafting committee chairman, heralding a major departure from colonial law. It was declared that elections in India would be based on universal adult suffrage, a revolutionary concept at the time. Transforming all adult Indians into voters over the next two years, against many odds. It required immense imagination and determination. This was India's stark act of decolonization.

Becoming and remaining a democracy was by no means inevitable, especially in the face of the mass killings and displacement of millions of people during the subcontinent’s partition on August 15, 1947. Partition led to the displacement of an estimated 18 million people and the killing of approximately one million. Additionally, the creation of democracy had to be achieved amidst myriad social divisions, widespread poverty, and low literacy levels, factors that scholars often consider at odds with the conditions necessary for successful democratic nationhood. Despite that, our forefathers persisted. Indians became voters before they were citizens, engaging in shared democratic experiences that they began to own and cherish. In the 1952 elections, about 52 parties contested, and around 170 million people had the right to vote, more than 80 per cent of whom were illiterate.

The implementation of the universal franchise brought electoral democracy to life in India. The Indian Constitution promises India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic in its preamble. The principle of universal suffrage helps India fulfil these promises. In India, the citizens are sovereign; they are the supreme authority because they have the right to choose or remove their government. The term "republic" refers to the supreme power being held by the citizens and the representatives chosen by them. These rights are provided by the principle of universal suffrage and are exercised through voting. It holds the country together, fostering a sense of shared purpose and common destiny among its diverse population. Despite the strides made, numerous challenges persist. Unlike Western liberal democracies, Indian democracy is deeply rooted in identity. Caste, religion, wealth, power, hero-worship, and dynastic tendencies are still prevalent, contributing to the criminalization of politics.

However, over the years, with increasing literacy among the electorate, these issues have been mitigated to some extent. Notably, voter turnout has increased sixfold since the first elections, compelling politicians to serve a broader constituency rather than a narrow set of interests. This broader engagement encourages politicians to focus more on public goods rather than private benefits.

The Election Commission of India has introduced several measures to ensure fair elections, such as an Increase in the number of proposers and the security deposit, Restriction on contesting from more than 2 constituencies, Disqualification on conviction for violating the National Honours Act, 1971, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail). Nonetheless, the most critical factor is an informed electorate. Edwin Montagu, in the 1920 elections, noted, “The honest education of the electorate is a matter of primary importance. May one who takes an anxious interest in India’s future echo the appeal that there should be no appeal to racial or religious prejudices and express the hope that, in the turmoil of an election, the great charm of Indian courtesy may not disappear?” His words remain as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago.

Moving forward, as the election results are declared today, let us not only celebrate the victory of our chosen party or lament the loss but also work together to bring democratic principles to life. As informed citizens, let us engage, discuss, and collaborate with the government to make "India Shining." The end of the festival is not the end of democracy, but the start of a new chapter.