Democracy should be simple- one person, one vote, the best candidate wins. But after 74 years, Indian elections still feel rigged. Money talks, muscle intimidates, and our voice gets drowned out. The reason is, our electoral system is trapped in a constitutional time capsule, holding onto outdated structures created in an ancient era, all the while dismissing years of expert recommendations that could have revitalised and strengthened our democracy.
The Reform That Never Happened
Back in 1990, Dinesh Goswami got a job nobody envied: figure out what’s wrong with Indian elections. His committee didn’t hold back. They wanted a proper three-member Election Commission, redrawn constituencies, independent staff, strict campaign rules for ministers, special election courts, partial state funding for parties, and tougher anti-defection laws.
Goswami called out the real problems: “money and muscle power at elections…rapid criminalisation of politics…non-serious candidates.” This wasn’t diplomatic language- it was brutal honesty about our democracy’s decay. This report should’ve changed everything. Instead, it collected dust.
Thirty-five years later, we’re drowning in the same mess. The reason is, no party wants to kill the system that got them into power. State funding sounds great until you realize parties make more through opaque donations. Politicians discovered that controlling media narratives was more effective than independent journalism. With a significant percentage of MPs facing criminal charges, creating speedy justice would be political suicide. The Goswami Committee threatened the system of keeping unworthy candidates in office. So politicians ignored it.
The 2023 Power Grab
Here’s where it gets scary. If our constitution already ensures fair elections, why did Parliament suddenly pass the Chief Election Commissioner Act in 2023?
Previous committees wanted the PM, Chief Justice, and Opposition Leader choosing election commissioners together. But the 2023 Act changed the rules. Now it’s PM, a Cabinet Minister (chosen by PM), and Opposition Leader- giving the ruling party two votes out of three. The Chief Justice is deliberately missing from the selection committee. The remuneration and service conditions are now aligned with those of the cabinet secretary, whose pay is set by the Central Government- which would affect their freedom to act fairly. This isn’t reform- it’s the most sophisticated assault on electoral independence in Indian history, disguised as progress.
Our vote operates in a system designed to limit its impact. Candidates aren’t required to share much. The anti-defection law means you’re voting for party whips, not independent thinkers. First-Past-The-Post ignores minority voices. Criminal politicians still thrive everywhere. Article 326 gives you voting rights, but it doesn’t guarantee those votes will be informed, meaningful, or manipulation-free.
What Real Change Looks Like
We know what’s wrong, we see it happening, and fixing it isn’t complicated. Here’s what genuine electoral reform would actually look like: Give the Election Commission power to strip “Star Campaigner” status for rule violations. Ditch First-Past-The-Post for proportional representation—30% votes should mean 30% seats. Make party funding count toward candidate spending limits. Bring parties under RTI for transparency. Enforce Supreme Court orders requiring candidates to reveal criminal records. Remove executive control from commissioner selection entirely. Make commissioner terms and salaries constitutionally protected.
Every ignored recommendation brings us closer to losing democracy entirely. The question isn’t whether we can fix this- it’s whether we care enough to force politicians to implement it. The choice is ours: keep pretending the system works, or demand the reforms that could actually make our vote count. Our vote might be worthless now, but it’s still the only weapon we have.
