With democracy under threat in Narendra Modi’s India, how free and fair will this year’s election be?

India ’s prime minister, Narendra Modi , is favoured to win reelection when India ’s 970 million voters start heading to the polls on April 19 in the country’s massive, six-week general election.

Barring a period of emergency rule in the 1970s when elections were suspended, India has met the threshold for free and fair elections throughout its history. What makes elections free and fair? To safeguard electoral integrity, governments must ensure the free participation of all parties and voters in elections and maintain an independent election commission. All candidates must have equal access to the media, which should act as a watchdog. Incumbents should not have a large financial advantage over opponents.

Read more: India elections: 'Our rule of law is under attack from our own government, but the world does not see this' Thirty-three corporations donated electoral bonds worth more than their profits, raising questions about the true source of these funds. And three-quarters of these donations went to the BJP.

For instance, a media report revealed that 95% of investigations by the Enforcement Directorate since the BJP came into power in 2014 have focused on the opposition. There has also been a five-fold increase in the number of money laundering investigations by the body since 2014. In recent days, a popular opposition leader and anti-corruption campaigner, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was also jailed on allegations he received kickbacks from the Delhi government’s attempt to privatise the liquor industry. The Enforcement Directorate has yet to provide evidence of his guilt.

Electronic Voting India Indian Politics Narendra Modi

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Narendra Modi’s economy isn’t booming for India’s unemployed youth. So, why is his party favoured to win another election?Modi’s party has struggled to generate jobs for young people, but is highly adept at marshalling votes to win elections.
Source: _TCglobal - 🏆 4. / 83 Read more »

India celebrates Holi, the Hindu festival of colours marking the return of springMillions of Indians mark the Holi festival, dancing to festive music, exchanging food and drink and smearing each other with red, green, blue and pink powder, turning the air into a joyful kaleidoscope of colour.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »

India welcomes spring with 'festival of colours'Millions celebrated by smothering one another in coloured powder or drinking a traditional cannabis-laced p...
Source: 9NewsSyd - 🏆 23. / 51 Read more »

Indian agents searched Hardeep Singh Nijjar's family home in India weeks before his alleged murderIndia has denied killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar, but an ABC investigation has found evidence government agencies were searching his family home in Punjab in the weeks before his death.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »

‘Brazen propaganda’: pro-Modi films flood Bollywood before India electionSome releases promote the PM and his policies while others are accused of being divisive and Islamophobic
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »

IPL reigns supreme in India with World Cup and election in the shadeAfter last year’s 50-over tournament was met with indifference, the main attraction will have a nation on the edge of their seats
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »