Liberal democracy has declined significantly in India: report

CategoryPolity

Last Updated13/03/2024

India, which was downgraded to the status of an “electoral autocracy” in 2018
She has declined even further on multiple metrics to emerge as “one of the worst autocratisers”, according to the “Democracy Report 2024” released by the Gothenburg-based V-Dem Institute.

The report categorizes countries into four regime types based on their score in the Liberal Democratic Index (LDI): Liberal Democracy, Electoral Democracy, Electoral Autocracy, and Closed Autocracy.
India, with 18% of the world’s population, accounts for about half of the population living in autocratising countries,” the report said.
Noting that almost all components of democracy were getting worse in more countries
- Than they were getting better, the report singled out freedom of expression, clean elections
- And freedom of association/civil society as the three worst affected components of democracy in autocratising countries.
South and Central Asia regressed significantly, with the level of “liberal democracy” enjoyed by the average Indian now “down to levels last seen in 1975
- When Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in India”.
As per the V-Dem classification, a liberal democracy is one where, in addition to the requirements of electoral democracy such as regular free and fair elections, mechanisms for judicial independence and constraints on executive overreach are robust, alongside rigorous protection of civil liberties and equality before law.
With regard to India, the report said that a third consecutive term for the BJP and Mr. Modi “could lead to further autocratisation given the already substantial democratic decline under Modi’s leadership and the enduring crackdown on minority rights and civil society”.