Governance and Political Studies
Articles
Is a Constitutional Coup d’etat Possible in India?

In the light of what was attempted by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in June 1975 by declaration of Emergency and references to the same by contemporary politicians, it is pertinent to examine whether the Indian Constitution is strong enough t

Politics and Polls: Need to Move to a Higher Plane

Indian elections in the past have always tended to be rambunctious, rowdy, noisy and not always necessarily peaceful. I have had the great good fortune of being an international observer nominated by the Sri Lankan Government to observe four levels o

Populism and Emotional Blackmail in Indian Elections: Time to Grow Up

India is a representative democracy, a republic which is socialist and secular and in which the Preamble of the Constitution and Article 19 guarantee the fundamental right of freedom of speech and the freedom to form associations or unions. These can

ASI’s Gold Hunt: An Affront to Modern India

India is a deeply religious country where the Sanatan Dharma based religions, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism coexist happily and peacefully with the Semitic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as also with the Zoroastrian faith and a

Vote Bank Politics: A Serious Threat to India’s Unity

Indian polity has been witnessing inter-religious hostility since before the country’s independence. This hostility has sometimes caused immense damage, including bloodshed, arson, rape and other brutalities to the Indian society. Time to time some

The Right to Reject: A Major Step Towards Cleansing Public Life

Voters in the five states going to polls this November-December viz Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram, will, for the first time have the right to press the NOTA (None Of The Above) button on their voting machines if they are d

The Telengana Issue & Pros and Cons of Smaller States

The Group of Ministers (GoM), set up to look into the proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, is expected to submit its report to the Union Cabinet before the winter session of Parliament. The high-powered ministerial panel had detailed discussions o

When Reservation Becomes Reverse Discrimination

Because India is wedded to the principle of social, economic and political justice and equality of status and of opportunity, it is the fundamental duty of government to ensure this for every citizen of India. That is what the Preamble to the Constit

From Fear of Law Grows Respect for Law

India is gradually turning into a country where not only there is no respect for law, there is not even a fear of law. Laws are what bind a democratic society together because they create a social contract within a framework of laws which determine

Telangana – Time for Some Statesmanship

With the situation in Andhra Pradesh virtually spiraling out of control and the union government, which triggered the chaos, becoming a mere spectator, the time has come for social and political leaders from across the political divide to display som

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