MIXED MESSAGES
Public concern about the current state of Indian democracy remains high, according to the INDIA TODAY MOTN (Mood of the Nation) poll. With 43.7 per cent of respondents in the latest poll saying they thought that democracy is in danger—though marginally less than in the previous MOTN in August 21—the trend of thought has remained worryingly constant.
In healthy democracies, citizens participate vigorously and effectively in the shaping of the policies and laws by which they are governed. Democratic constitutions provide for elected assemblies for citizens’ representatives to formulate new polices and pass laws. What is imperative is a process of democratic deliberation among citizens themselves.
In the opinion of 34 per cent of MOTN respondents, of the four pillars of democracy in
