In this episode, we speak with journalist Ayush Tiwari about how Indians participate in the voting process and the challenges they face. Our conversation comes as journalists, activists, and politicians raise serious questions about the integrity of the election process, particularly the Election Commission of India. We discuss the basics of the voting process, the complaints made by opposition parties, and current concerns about voter suppression in India’s second-largest state, Bihar. Ayush brings his insights from his ground reporting in this timely discussion about how the Indian government’s attacks on democracy are affecting Indians’ fundamental right to choose their leaders.AN UPDATE: In the time between recording and publishing this episode, a wave of new allegations of electoral fraud has emerged, including an investigation by Scroll into allegations of election fraud in the state of Uttar Pradesh. We will release an update on this topic in the coming weeks, once the dust settles from what continues to be a dynamic issue.
Reading List
Electoral Irregularities in the World’s Largest Democracy - Sabyasachi Das
“Manual on Electoral Rolls” and “Handbook for Returning Officer” - Election Commission of India
Assessing the Integrity of India’s 2024 Lok Sabha Elections - Milan Vaishnav
The Verdict: Decoding India's Elections - Prannoy Roy & Dorab R. Sopariwala
Why India’s Election Commission is facing a test of credibility - Nikhil Inamdar, BBC
ECI Skipped its Fraud-Busting Software, Flooding Bihar Voter Roll With Lakhs of Suspect Duplicates -Ayushi Kar, and Vishnu Narayan, Reporters’ Collective
Guide to the 2024 Indian Elections - Hindus for Human Rights
India After Gandhi - Ramchandra Guha
Ayush’s work
