Question

Identify three challenges facing Indian democracy and explore how these can be overcome.

Answer 1

Challenges facing Indian democracy and exploring how these can be overcome are as follows:

1. Challenge of Expansion: Most of the established democracies, like India, face the challenge of expansion. This involves applying the basic principles of democratic government across all the regions, different social groups and various institutions. Ensuring greater power to the local governments, the extension of federal principles to all the units of the federation and the inclusion of women and minority groups fall under this challenge. This also means that fewer and fewer decisions should remain outside the arena of democratic control.
2. Challenge of Deepening of Democracy: This is also faced by every democracy in one form or the other, which is widely prevalent in India as well. This involves the strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy. This should happen in such a way that people can realise their expectations from democracy. But ordinary people have different expectations from democracy in different societies.
   Therefore, this challenge takes different meanings and paths in different parts of our country. In general terms, it usually means strengthening those institutions that help people’s participation and control. This requires an attempt to bring down the control and influence of the rich and powerful people in making governmental decisions.
3. Challenge of Wrong Political Practices: Carefully devised changes in law can help to discourage wrong political practices and encourage good ones. Democratic reforms are to be carried out mainly by political activists, parties, movements, and politically conscious citizens. The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. The Right to Information is a good example of it.