Anjali Bhardwaj on misgivings over India’s Election Commission: State of Southasia #36
The Election Commission of India was, for many years, one of the country’s most trusted public institutions lauded around the world for carrying out, every five years, the seemingly impossible task of India’s general elections. The commission was seen as non-partisan that did its work without fear or favour. That reputation has taken a hit in recent years.
Since August this year, it has been facing a particularly difficult test of its credibility after Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition, made allegations against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission ranging from voter fraud to inconsistencies in electoral rolls. These allegation were based on investigations into the Election Commission’s own records. Questions have also been raised over the commission’s Special Intensive Revision of voter lists before the Bihar state elections as to the timing and manner in which it was conducted and the commission’s possible motivations for such an exercise.
In this episode of State of Southasia, Anjali Bhardwaj, a transparency and accountability activist speaks to Nayantara Narayanan about the behaviour of the Election Commission in the conduct of elections over the past decade, the recent allegations it and its reluctance to share election and voter data. She says all this raises “very serious concerns both about the health of India's democracy and about the legitimacy of the governments that are functioning at the centre and in the states.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple podcasts and YouTube.
State of Southasia releases a new interview every two weeks.
Episode notes:
Anjali Bhardwaj’s recommendations:
Newton - Amit V. Masurkar (Hindi-language film)
Electoral Democracy?: An Inquiry into the Fairness and Integrity of Elections in India – edited by M G Devasahayam (non-fiction)
Janne Bhi Do Yaaro - Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri (podcast on The Wire)
Further reading from Himal’s archives:
India’s BJP government gamed the Jammu and Kashmir election – and still lost
Aakar Patel on the unprecedented threats to India’s election: State of Southasia #03
With an unfree and unfair election, Pakistan prepares to repeat its past
In Bangladesh’s sham election, the only real contest is geopolitical