In recent developments, India has been denoted as an “electoral autocracy” in the annual report – ‘Autocratisation Goes Viral’ by the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute, based in Sweden. This revelation arrives closely on the heels of the US watchdog Freedom House reducing India’s status to “partly free” in its ‘Freedom in the World 2021’ report.
About V-Dem Institute
Conceived in 2014 by Swedish political scientist Staffan Lindberg, the V-Dem Institute is an independent research organisation that annually releases a report examining the condition of democracy across the globe. The analysis for this report involves the comprehensive study of nearly 30 million data points, spanning 202 different countries.
Global Scenario
Over the previous decade, there has been a ‘steep’ decline in the number of liberal democracies, especially in regions such as the Asia-Pacific, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Furthermore, several G-20 nations, including India, Brazil, and Turkey, have witnessed significant drops in their respective rankings.
India’s Position
Although previously categorised as an electoral democracy, in the most recent report, India was demoted to an ‘electoral autocracy’. This report places India at par with Pakistan on the autocracy scale, and rates it worse off than its neighbours, Bangladesh and Nepal. The report also highlighted a downward slide in the realm of political rights and civil liberties since 2014. It shed light on the rising influence and pressure on human rights organizations, an increase in the intimidation faced by academics and journalists, and a worrying surge in hate crimes targeted at Muslims, including lynchings.
Reasons for the Downgrade
The decline in India’s status could be attributed to multiple factors. In recent times, the Indian government has increasingly resorted to using laws on sedition (Section 124A), defamation (Section 499), and counter-terrorism to quell critics. Furthermore, laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA),1967 have been employed more frequently. The Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) 2010 is also being used to control the entry, exit, and functioning of civil society organisations in India, thereby restricting their voice and influence.
This newly assigned status of “electoral autocracy” to India, as per the V-Dem Institute’s report, indicates a dire need to revisit and reassess the democratic principles and policies within the country. It serves as a call-to-action for the Indian government and citizens to take corrective measures and ensure the preservation and strengthening of India’s hard-earned democracy.
Last Modified: February 11, 2024