Illiberal Democracy and India: Some Reflections

The rise of illiberal democracies across the globe since the late 1990s has caught scholarly attention in western academia. This trend has further gained momentum in the 21st century as more states in parts of Europe, Middle East and Asia are experiencing the emergence of far-right populist governments that can best be characterized as some form of authoritarian democracy. Indian polity has also witnessed a similar movement in that direction in recent years. Notwithstanding the robust and institutionalized democratic electoral procedure and process, the promotion and protection of the liberal ethos of democracy have seemed to take a perceptible backslide. This article would attempt to analyze how the various illiberal practices in the Indian context fits into the broader global pattern.