A Wider Yardstick To Scale Indian Democracy

The objective of penning this content on Indian democracy is to refashion the spirit of democracy among the audience, the readers who facilitate the essential working of democratic institutions. This concept streams an array of ideas that seek a thorough analysis and a well-laid insight into it. The conceptual understanding of democracy too demands an orderly comprehension of the notions of citizens, the notion of ruling, the notion of political party, the notion of bureaucrats, the notion of judiciary, etc. The amalgamation of these notions encompasses the meticulous discussion and debate on democracy. People should not solely consider it as a political system but also a forum where conflicting opinions get a pedestal to reconcile and come out with the best potential outcome gleaming with a utilitarian approach. Indian democracy is well-praised in the entire world. Let us dig into the core of democracy.

Democratic Regime: This political set-up draws the boundaries where citizens are free to enjoy the rights that they are crowned with. This type of government is a government by the people where the rulers are elected by the people of that country. The tenure of the government varies from country to country. Further, the election of the cabinet ministers is done from the pool of distinguished people that are further assigned to their respective jurisdictions. Civil, political, economic, and social rights are secured under this regime which makes it favourable for the citizens of a country that adheres to it. The Indian democracy got the abode to prosper in the 20th Century when the Indian subjects realised the melancholy of slavery and fought for the freedom that could loom over the country in all dimensions. The essence of freedom that shaped India is an ode to the pains endured by the ferocious Indians. The unjust laws and regulations framed by colonial rulers yielded stormy days and nights for the Indians, the paucity of basic amenities, the plight of women, the suppression of Indian markets, the exploitation of the resources for the children, etc. All the bigots that ruled India in any form whether under the azure of colonialism, monarchy, etc made the citizens bow down in the bondage of tyranny. The ethics of guarding human rights that ensure that no ruler can unjustly sweep the rights and they are well-preserved in a democratic country. The privilege of getting ruled under the enlightenment of the constitution is more probable in a democracy, the segregation of all the organs of a government also is a push for the protection of citizens’ autonomy.

The nature of India is dwelling on the lap of diverse and dense demography, which is peculiar for its distinctive culture—the linguistic, the ethnic, and the geographic—in the multiple aspects our country is enriched with. In such an agglomerative country, if dictatorships, theocracies, etc. prevail, then indirectly some voices will be suppressed, which will shatter the majesty of pluralism in our country. In non-democratic rulings, there is undoubtedly the probability that the rulers will strive for fraternity and the welfare of the country, but the probability that all the sects will get a pavement to cater to their cultural, economic, political, and ethnic interests is much lesser. The power of democracy empowers this section of the debate by ensuring that all the sects have a guard for their respective identities that they seek to preserve.

Is democracy a door to mayhem in political administration? 

There is a chunk of people who see the democratic platform as a road to quarrels. The peace of a nation that brings ease at procuring the smooth functioning of government in the country gets a push. This belief knits a major web of backlash against democracy because it debars the government from framing a uniform law and regulation. This idea advocates that opening up a carpet for the citizens of a country to exercise freedom of all kinds can shatter the parallel administration of a country towards its citizens, as each right guards the diverse nature of a country and authorises the people to influence the laws of a country. This idea can be concurred with when an authoritarian government is not a tyrant and is widened enough to embrace the plurality of a country by guaranteeing enough rights to the citizens. On the contrary, if the ruler shades into an oppressor, then it might hinder the agglomerative nature of a country, thus threatening the status of citizens and transforming them into a status of subjects. Democracy ensures that citizens are devoid of the unjust and unfair rules and regulations of a country and inhale independence.

The Framing of the Indian Constitution

In the ride of Indian democracy, the tumultuous task of erecting a robust forum for India where the whole code of conduct was not a one-man effort. The tedious journey was endured by the chunk of highbrows who presided over this work. The meticulous discussions and deliberations were done to construct a book of laws with the pious aim of embracing all the segments of the country and granting them adequate rights to be reputable citizens of the country. Jawaharlal Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Amrita Kaur, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Muhammed Sadulla, Munshi, Gopalaswami Ayyangar, etc were some of the pioneers of the Indian Constitution.

After the Second World War, Atlee’s government was formed in England. Some ministers were sent to India to form cabinet missions, and further under that, a Constituent Assembly was formed. Then the members selected for the constituent assembly proposed the objective resolution that was the basis of the Indian constitution. It drew the picture of the preamble, which is the soul of the Indian constitution. The inevitable features of India were featured in the preamble. Equality, fraternity, justice, liberty, etc. were some of the gems of the preamble. The objective resolution was passed by the constituent assembly on January 22, 1947. The drafting committee was set up to develop a map for the final documentation of the Constitution. The ideas of incorporating the quasi-federal nature of the government with the uniform distribution of the powers between the central and federal governments, the introduction of three types of lists that allot responsibilities to each side, the granting of fundamental rights to the citizens that ensure their status, and not allowing the rights to be taken for granted by the government were affixed along with the fundamental duties. The judiciary was given autonomous status to regulate legal matters in the country. The desk government existed before the framing of the constitution, which defined bureaucrats as the implementing officers of the laws. The administration segment has also been a topic of utmost importance in the Constitution.

The constitution of a democratic country holds the utmost importance in preserving its democracy. The procedures vary from country to country through which the amendments can prevail as per the requirement. The Indian constitution can be amended without violating the basic essence of the preamble [Kesavananda Bharti Case]. The Indian Constitution, through its numerous articles and schedules, has fostered Indian democracy. Citizens have always preferred decent economic status, decent education, peaceful co-existence, accessibility to growth opportunities, and a channel for their voice. Indian democracy will continue its legacy only with the fulfilment of all these preferences.

The road to Indian democracy has been polished by myriad experiences. In this epoch, it is by default the duty of all Indians to rekindle the lost essence of Indian democracy. India has always been a tribunal for democracy, and we ought to keep this tribunal illuminating with the hangings of justice, fraternity, harmony, equality, etc.