Democracy at crossroads

India faces a defining moment in its democratic journey and it is not about the rise or fall of one political party but about the need to save and protect democracy itself. Democracy rests on four pillars, the legislature, the executive, the judiciary, and the media. Their strength lies in their independence. When these institutions begin to serve political interests instead of constitutional principles, then democracy becomes an empty shell. Parliament, the highest law making body in the country, increasingly appears to function as an extension of the government. Major legislations drafted by the Cabinet are pushed through with limited debate or scrutiny. The number of Bills referred to Parliamentary Standing Committees has fallen sharply, reducing opportunities for detailed examination. The suspension of 146 Opposition MPs in December 2023 marked one of the darkest chapters in parliamentary history. Earlier, the Farm Bills were passed amid protests and confusion, exposing that speed has replaced deliberation and majority has replaced consensus. The Modi government is drowning under a range of controversies, including the PNB Nirav Modi fraud, the Rafale deal, Pegasus surveillance allegations, opaque electoral bonds, questions surrounding the PM CARES Fund, the fallout of demonetisation, the handling of the COVID pandemic, the NEET and UGC NET examination leaks, banking failures involving IL&FS, PMC Bank, DHFL and Yes Bank, allegations surrounding the Adani Group, and the controversial Special Intensive Revision(SIR) exercise in West Bengal that reportedly resulted in the deletion of nearly seventy lakh voters. Whether these allegations are ultimately proved or disproved, Parliament exists precisely to examine such issues. Yet Opposition attempts to raise them are frequently cut short, debates are denied, and walkouts have become routine. A legislature that refuses to hear criticism cannot effectively hold the executive accountable. The judiciary, traditionally regarded as the final guardian of constitutional rights, has also come under increasing public scrutiny. Several recent episodes have raised questions about whether the courts are responding with sufficient urgency to matters involving civil liberties and democratic rights. Remarks made during hearings, as well as the refusal to urgently hear certain petitions involving electoral issues and allegations of police excesses, have fuelled concerns that citizens are finding it harder to obtain timely judicial protection. In a democracy, justice must not only be delivered but must also be seen to be accessible when fundamental rights are at stake. The media, once celebrated as the fourth pillar of democracy, faces perhaps its greatest crisis of credibility. Instead of questioning those in power, much of the mainstream media appears more interested in defending the government’s narrative. Stories that favour the ruling establishment dominate headlines, while uncomfortable questions often receive little attention. Political influence, corporate ownership and self censorship have weakened independent journalism, narrowing public debate and pushing dissent to the margins. Equally troubling is that independent institutions have been used for political purposes . Bodies such as the Election Commission, Reserve Bank of India, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department are frequently accused of being used disproportionately against political opponents, critics, writers and investigative journalists. It is this concentration of power that prompted former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani warned in 2015 that the forces inclined towards authoritarianism could become even more dangerous than those witnessed during the Emergency of 1975. People are the deciders and their greatest duty is to ensure that democracy is not merely to elect governments but to preserve institutions that can challenge them. Without strong and independent institutions, elections alone cannot guarantee freedom.