INDIAN DEMOCRACY – A SUCCESS OR FAILURE?

INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC

“Democracy is a government of the people, for the people, and by the people.”
-Abraham Lincoln
Democracy means the government of the people to ensure the participation of
all citizens in the decision-making process, either directly or indirectly through
elected representatives. India is the largest democracy in the world. In the last
more than 6 decades, it has worked quite well. But in modern India, has to face
many challenges that need to be addressed to ensure a real democracy. These
challenges can include socioeconomic inequality, poverty, and unemployment,
illiteracy and ignorance, sectarianism, sectarianism, population explosion,
regionalism, corruption, and terrorism, etc. India needs to develop new
proposals for democratic reform. The law plays an important role in political
reform and can help prevent bad practices and promote good practices. But
mere legal changes alone do not help because changes in the laws can
sometimes be counterproductive and can have a negative impact on society.
Therefore, the best laws allow people to carry out democratic reforms. The
Right to Information Act is the best example of a watchdog against the abuse of
democratic principles. Challenges to democracy can be addressed by activist
movements or by politically conscious citizens. Some of the actions that can be
taken to maintain genuine parliamentary democracy in India include: achieving
100% literacy; public awareness of democratic rights; Ensuring better
protection of fundamental rights, guaranteeing freedom of the press, etc. In this
article, the author has attempted to study and analyse the existing democratic
system in India and suggest the reforms necessary to ensure sustainable
democracy in India.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

To study and analyse the existing democratic setup in India.
a) To study and analyse the existing democratic set up in India.
b) To study and analyse various challenges that are being faced by the Indian
democratic republic
c) To suggest measures to meet the challenges effectively and help restore
Indian Democracy in its true spirit.
How can we define a successful democracy?
To define a successful democracy, we need to check up on the following points
mentioned below
1. Represent the people
The greatest advantage and the most important reason for the success of a
democracy are that it represents the masses, it is said that a democratic
government is for the people and by the people and is the most popular form of
government in the world today. In a democracy, the voter is the supreme
monarch who is free to choose who represents him and his voice at the highest
level, and the elected representatives who represent the majority of the people
are the result of free and fair elections. A government is formed by virtue of
these elected representatives who represent the people who elected them and
give voice to the grievances of these people at the highest-level present in the
country, mainly the parliament.
2. Better governance
One of the reasons for the success of a democracy that we cannot forget is the
better governance that comes with a democratic government, it goes without
saying that good governance and democracy go hand in hand. Democratic
government is always divided into 2 or 3 tiers/tiers, each with its own powers
and importance, which increases the efficiency of governance. Democracy is
about having controls at every stage by the parliament, the people themselves,
the media, and not forgetting the ever-ready opposition waiting for an
opportunity to fire. So, with all these eyes on them, any misstep is sure to
provoke scathing criticism, which is the last thing any government will ask for.
3. Respect and promote human rights
If there is something that places a democracy above all other forms of
government, then surely it must be the unique characteristic of a democracy in
which all its citizens are entitled to basic rights from birth and these rights are
respected by the government. and they are also protected by law so that none of
their citizens can be denied their birthright. We cannot deny the fact that this is
a good reason for the current success of democracy and this is the reason why
democracy has an advantage over other forms of government which are
anarchy, autocracy, and oligarchy, to name. some.
4. Freedom of expression and the press
A unique feature of democracy that it boasts is the "freedom of speech" that it
grants as a birthright to all its citizens. Freedom of expression is at the core of
any democracy and increases the participation of people in the procedures of the
decision-making process. Any individual part of democracy can say what seems
right to it and can even question and criticize the particular government without
any fear as in other forms of government like the monarchy. Freedom of the
press is the fundamental basis on which a democracy pivots and without which
a democracy cannot be conceived. So, freedom of speech/press is an important
reason for the success of a democracy.
5. Social equality and diversity
When it comes to equality among the masses, a democracy shows no bias
among its citizens. In a democracy, there is no discrimination and everyone is
equal before the law regardless of caste, creed, gender, colour, religion, or
ethnic origin. A democracy provides equal opportunities to all its citizens and
all are free to follow their own choice of God and can practice whatever religion
they want without the interference of any external forces. Democracy allows
people of diverse backgrounds to live freely and collectively as fellow citizens,
brothers, and sisters and holds the nation together.
6. Responsibility
He agreed that democracy is by the people and for the people and the common
man chooses his representative, but the game does not end here, the elected
representative is responsible to the common man who voted for him and that is
the main reason why sits in the highest office. In the absence of adequate
vigilance, the government is sure to pervert itself. So, accountability to the
common man, the Supreme Court of Justice, and other watchdogs who
constantly monitor the daily activities of the government make this form of
government a great success and widespread acceptance among the people.
7. Open public debate on important decisions
Open public debates are nothing new for democratic institutions, by public
debate we mean a series of public forums where a common man comes and
participates expressing his views, grievances, opinions, and interests on issues
that concern the entire community. nation. In doing so, many points of view,
information, arguments, and counterarguments are presented that are discussed,
weighed, and the consensus is reached. With this, the risk of abuse of power
will touch a nadir and there will be an increase in transparency and more
participation of the people in the decision-making process.
8. Hope for change
The good thing about the democratic form of government is that there is always
a glimmer of hope for change, and considering that the elected representative
does not live up to expectations or does not live up to the promises he made
before the elections, not a big problem. There is something to worry about, as in
the upcoming elections, you could easily be uprooted by voting for a better
candidate, whose platform is good governance and development. But we have
no such options in other forms of government where people have little or no
voice. This is the reason for the success of democracy.
9. Written constitution
The written constitution is what makes democracy unique among all its peers. A
constitution is a document that contains a set of rules on how a country should
be run and its citizens protected. The written constitution grants reproductive
rights to all people protects them from invasion and preserves the principles of
democracy by protecting them. It also keeps the government and its allied
institutions in their respective spheres of power and prevents them from any
abuse of power at their whims. So the constitution is what many believe is of
paramount importance to a country and is the dominant reason and explains
why democracy works.
10. Democracies help build a more democratic world
The reasons above clearly show why democracy works with the people, and
now the best and most plausible reason why democracy takes such a big hit is
that smaller democratic institutions help build a more democratic world where
people can live and thrive without it. They lose their individuality and identity.
Good relations with like-minded neighbours are increasing and there will be
little or no room for war. The democratic world is, at its core, a better place to
live in no less than a utopian dream. So, this is a classic reason for the success
of democracy.
Problems with functioning of Indian democracy
a) Overpopulation: Indian population has reached up to an estimated 1.27
billion1. This is one of the greatest challenges that have hindered the possible
progress of our country to some extent. The government of India which is
already facing challenges from various angles has failed to control the
population growth.
b) Poverty: Though India is approaching becoming an economic superpower, it
has equally great challenges towards tackling poverty. According to the World
Bank's estimates on poverty based on 2005 data, India has 456 million people,
ie., 41.6% of its population, living below the new international poverty line of
$1.25 (PPP) per day2. The world Bank further estimates that 33% of the global
poor now reside in India. Moreover, India also has 828 million people, or 75.6%
of the population living below $2 a day, compared to 72.2% for Sub-Saharan
Africa3. The major reason for the poor population in India is due to its uneven
distribution of wealth with 10% of income groups earning 33% of the income4.
c) Sanitation: Statistics conducted by United Nations International Children's
Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have shown that only 31% of India’s population is
able to utilize proper sanitation facilities as of 2008. Studies by UNICEF have
also shown that diseases resulting from poor sanitation affect children in their
cognitive development5.
d) Corruption: Corruption is widespread in India. India is ranked 95 out of 179
countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, but its
score has improved consistently from 2.7 in 2002 to 3.1 in 20116. In India,
corruption takes the form of bribes, tax evasion, exchange controls,
embezzlement, etc. Right to Information Act, 2005 has played a major role in
unearthing various scams which are politically motivated. Corruption is one of
the main causes that hinder the progress of a nation.
e) Education: Education has remained one of the priorities of the Indian
government since independence. Though many initiatives have been taken up
by the Government of India to ensure maximum literacy in India, still,
education continues to persist as an impediment to development.

1
India's Population 2014. Retrieved from: http:// www.indiaonlinepages.com/ population/ india- current-
population.html
2
Politics of India, Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_India.
3
Ibid.
4
Ibid.
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid.
 f) Violence: Constitutional speaking, India is supposed to be secular, but large-
scale violence has periodically taken place since independence. In recent
decades, communal tensions and religion-based politics have become more
prominent.
g) Terrorism: The areas where a lot of terrorist activities take place are Jammu
and Kashmir, Central India, and the Seven Sister States and Punjab. Terrorism
in India has often been alleged to be sponsored by Pakistan.
h) Naxalism: Naxalism is a communist group that has been emerged out of the
Sino-Soviet split in the Indian communist movement. Naxalism is found in
areas such as West Bengal, Chattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh.
i) Poor voter turnout: India’s political parties are eagerly waiting for the 2014
national elections next year. But are Indian citizens equally excited about
casting their votes? Since voting is not a compulsory duty of the people, many
of them do not exercise this right and they choose to remain in their houses and
do something else on that day.
Democracy in India: its Problems and Prospectives:
Soon after attaining independence, India gave herself a constitution and became
the Democratic Republic on 26th January 1950 and has since been governed by
this Constitution. This was indeed a commendable achievement, more
particularly when one looks at some of the countries in our neighbourhood and
even around the world. For it established a system of governance, a sound legal
system, and a fairly sound basis for a democratic socialistic society when
elections were held regularly and the popular mandate was respected.
Thus, we may say that the democratic system has been established as accepted
as an indispensable part of Indian political life; yet we have to recognize that in
practice, there have been serious shortcomings and these will have to be
addressed sooner or rather than later.
Democracy is not a modern phenomenon; it was practiced with some measure
of success in ancient Athens and in ancient India; also, they laid down some of
the fundamental principles of a democratic society which will be very relevant
to us even in modern times.
Supreme on Democracy in India: One of the famous cases that saved Indian
Democracy is the judgment in Kesavananda Bharati v State of Kerala, xvi
whose 40th anniversary has been just concluded on 24th April 2013. The case
was one of the crucial developments in the Indian judiciary as it upheld the
supremacy of the Indian Constitution and prevented authoritarian rule by a
single political party. On April 24, 1973, Chief Justice Sikri and 12 judges of
the Supreme Court assembled delivered the most important judgment in the
judicial history of India. It had been conducted for almost 68 days (from
October 31, 1972, to March 23, 1973)7. There was only one issue to find the
answer to a question as to whether Parliament can amend the Constitution in an
unlimited manner even at the cost of taking away all the fundamental rights of
the citizens of India.
The problem was that under Article 368 of the Indian Constitution, it is
apparently clear that there were no limitations on the power of Parliament to
amend any part of the Constitution. Even there were no restrictions on the
Parliament to prevent it from taking away a citizen’s right to freedom of speech
or his religious freedom. However, after several amendments made to the
Constitution, there was doubt was raised whether there is an inherent or implied
limitation on the amending power of Parliament. In its 703-page verdict, with a
7:6 majority, the Supreme Court has revealed that the Parliament could amend
any part of the Constitution as long as it did not alter the basic structure or
essential features of the Constitution. In this way there was an inherent and
implied limitation on the amending power of Parliament was imposed by the
Judiciary.
The Kesavananda Bharati case8 was the result of a serious conflict between the
judiciary and the Government of India. Where the then Prime Minister Mrs.
Indira Gandhi acted with a selfish motive and violated the true Parliamentarian
spirit on several occasions by amending the Indian Constitution and passing
various laws favouring her Congress Party and finally in 1975 by declaring the
infamous national emergency that too for personal gains. If this was not there,
India would certainly have degenerated into a totalitarian State or would have
had one-party rule and the Constitution would have lost its supremacy.
Some more examples of alterations in the Constitution of Indian that were
carried out for personal gain:
a) One such amendment is the 39th Constitutional amendment that was made
during the Emergency period. This amendment prohibited any challenge to
7
Arvind P. Datar, 2013, The case that saved Indian democracy, The Hindu, April 23rd, 2013.
8
AIR 1973 SC 1461
 the election of the President, Vice-President, Speaker, and Prime Minister,
irrespective of electoral malpractice. The sole purpose of this amendment
was to attempt to nullify the adverse Allahabad High Court judgment
against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who was about to be defeated in the
election.

b) The 41st Amendment prohibited any case, civil or criminal, being filed
against the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, or the Governors, not
only during their term of office but forever. Thus, if a person was a governor for
just one day, he acquired immunity from any legal proceedings for life. Thanks
to the Kesavananda Bharati, Nani Palkiwala and the seven judges who were in
the majority for saving and preserving the supremacy of the Constitution
otherwise the above shocking amendments would have become part of the
Constitution of India. India now continues to be the world’s largest democracy.
The enormous efforts are taken by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Wallabhai
Patel, Dr. Babasahed Ambedkar and all the founding fathers of our Constitution
have not gone to waste. Findings: Though India claims to be one of the biggest
democracies in the world, but in reality, there are various challenges that are
responsible for creating hindrance in the true functioning of the democratic
republic of India. The lack of awareness of true values of democracy amongst
the Indian Citizens is also another because that prejudices the minds of the
people towards exercising their participation in the formation and functioning of
the Government.
Further, that most of the politician’s venture into politics with the sole motive of
maximization of their personal wealth by whatever means they can know very
well that someday they may be prosecuted for their acts, for example, ministers
involved in scams such as 2G Spectrum, Common Wealth Games, Coal Block
allocation, etc. This shows that these political leaders make many promises
during their election campaigns but fail to exercise their duties in true
parliamentarian spirit. Political parties make all the efforts to mould public
opinion for their personal gains. Recently, we are witnessing a practice called
opinion polls or exit polls. These practices do not have any scientific basis as
some of the news items associated with them are paid news. However, exit
polls often tend to cause a prejudicial impact on the voters’ mindset and hence
end up electing the wrong leader.
 SUGGESTIONS
Recommendations for the successful functioning of Indian democracy:
1) The electorate should be imparted with the knowledge of political
consciousness. They should be made fully aware of their rights and privileges
through organizing programs such as conferences, seminars, workshops,
symposia, etc.
2) The illiterate masses of India should be provided proper education so that
they can sensibly vote for the right leaders. The USA, Britain, Germany, and
Japan are successful democratic countries and gave progress in every sphere
because the masses are literate.
3) There must be a complete ban on Opinion Polls as they cannot be
scientifically relied upon.
4) The media must also play an important role in bringing about true facts and
maintaining the true spirit of the right to speech and expression.
5) The politicians should also respect the true spirit of democracy by playing
their crucial role not as a master but as servants of the represented. They should
refrain from corruption caste and communal politics.
6) The citizens should elect leaders with good moral values and integrity.
7) People should be guided to choose their true representatives. They should not
be influenced by anyone in this respect. Individuals should learn tolerance and
compromise and understand that freedom is not unbridled but dependent on not
harming another individual's well-being.
8) Democracy demands from the common man a certain level of ability and
character, like rational conduct, an intelligent understanding of public affairs,
independent justice, and unselfish devotion to the public interest.
9) The Directive Principles of State Policies must necessarily be made
justiciable rights just like fundamental rights of part III of the Indian
Constitution.
10) People should not allow communalism, separatism, casteism, terrorism, etc
to raise their heads. They are a threat to democracy.
11) The government, the NGOs, and the people together should work
collectively for the economic development of the nation.
12) Changes should come through peaceful, democratic, and constitutional
means. The talented youth of today should be politically educated so that they
can become effective leaders of tomorrow.
13) Legislatures and Judiciary should keep track of what is going on around the
world as far as some of the sensitive human rights-related issues are concerned
such as same-sex marriages, abolition of death penalties, etc., and try to keep
pace with the changing world around us.
14) Finally, it is the duty of the elected representatives be it ruling or opposing,
to be a role model for the youths who are going to take over their
responsibilities in the future. They should do away with the practice of blame
game, indecent and violent behaviour in the four corners of the Parliament and
Legislatures towards each other.

CONCLUSIONS
Finally, it can be concluded that it is very sad that our democracy after 66 years
of independence has given us some illiterate and corrupt ministers who are
ready to do any kind of scams for their welfare. Our Autonomous agencies like
CBI, Income Tax, and Sales Tax Departments, seem to be paper tigers in
dealing with these scams and are unfortunately acting only on the guidelines of
corrupted ministers. Some politicians have also tried to divide our country on
religious grounds only to fill their vote banks which have given rise to various
communal violence. These and many more activities have caused the Indian
democracy to lose its respect in the world. However, at the same, we must be
also fortunate enough to live in a democratic country like India because it is
only a democracy that can provide us equal rights and duties. Thanks to the
Constituent Assembly. It is equally true that Indian is the only country in the
world where people are united together in spite of the fact that we belong to
many religious, cultural, and traditional backgrounds. So, finally, it can be said
that no government or country is perfect. There is nothing wrong with the
Indian Constitutional Law, in fact, it is the responsibility of citizens to make
efforts to actively participate in the functioning of the government and make
their country perfect.