Articles
May 14 2014
VOTER TURNOUT ANALYSIS
The message from voters in 2014
VOTER TURNOUT ANALYSIS : The message from voters in 2014
Combining provisional voter turnout data and the perceptions of MP performance based on the Daksh-ADR survey, Srinivasan Ramani attempts to make reasonable assessments about what could be behind high turnouts in this Lok Sabha elections.
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May 13 2014
MONEY POWER IN A DEMOCRACY
The rich and famous funding elections - why not?
MONEY POWER IN A DEMOCRACY : The rich and famous funding elections - why not?
Any election campaign and process needs money, and as long as the exercise of money power is well-regulated, it can never thwart the power of the people, feels P V Rajeev.
May 09 2014
NOTES FROM VARANASI
Voices Modi and Kejriwal must listen to, beyond the noise
NOTES FROM VARANASI : Voices Modi and Kejriwal must listen to, beyond the noise

Days before the much-hyped showdown between Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal in Varanasi, Prabhu Mallikarjunan pays a visit to the holy city to know more about the loyalties and concerns of people on the ground.
May 06 2014
ARUNACHAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
How an MLA hopeful lost the race even before he could contest
ARUNACHAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS : How an MLA hopeful lost the race even before he could contest
Atum Welly, a former Congress minister in Arunachal Pradesh who switched to the BJP, alleges that a fraudulent move threw him out of the election process, as the Election Commission of India accepted a forged letter of withdrawal and declared his opponent elected. What’s more, he is not alone! Ramesh Menon reports.
May 05 2014
MINING IN ODISHA
A battle that hasn’t been won in nine years
MINING IN ODISHA : A battle that hasn’t been won in nine years
With numerous court cases, regulatory rulings and pending environmental clearances behind it, the South Korean steel major POSCO still persists with its plans in India. Kanchi Kohli looks at the latest in the case and wonders why.
May 05 2014
BOOKS
The economics of a strong democracy
BOOKS : The economics of a strong democracy
Holding trust brought forth by equality of individuals as a critical foundation for a strong democracy, Shankar Jaganathan discusses the postulates of two recent academic publications that add to the important discourse on the issue of inequality.
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Apr 30 2014
POLITICAL HATE SPEECH
Penalties rare for Togadias and Masoods, but mileage aplenty
POLITICAL HATE SPEECH : Penalties rare for Togadias and Masoods, but mileage aplenty
The fierce political campaigns around the 2014 general elections have seen rampant communal rhetoric and instances of hate speech by followers of all camps. Tanvi Bhatikar digs deeper into hate speech law and judicial proceedings in India with a comparison to UK and Europe.
Apr 28 2014
GLOBAL TRADE
Will The NYT bat against Washington apples in India?
GLOBAL TRADE : Will The NYT bat against Washington apples in India?
A recent editorial in The New York Times rightly recognises the flaws of a growth model driven by lower trade barriers. But Devinder Sharma wonders if the American daily will take a stand and extend its arguments to champion the cause of all nations, including India.
Apr 28 2014
STUDY ON LARGE DAMS
Oxford study validates Indian environmentalist claims
STUDY ON LARGE DAMS : Oxford study validates Indian environmentalist claims
The findings of a recent study by scholars at the University of Oxford point to the adverse outcomes and poor economic returns associated with large dam projects. Amruta Pradhan summarises the findings and shows how they have been consistently borne out by empirical observations in Maharashtra.
Apr 26 2014
AP ELECTIONS
Why voters in Telangana are still puzzled
AP ELECTIONS : Why voters in Telangana are still puzzled

Days before Telangana goes to polls, Venugopalrao Nellutla examines the lack of exuberance and the dilemmas among people in the region, even as they look ahead to statehood and their own government in weeks from now.
Apr 24 2014
TRANSGENDER PARTICIPATION
India’s “third gender” enters poll fray with new hope
TRANSGENDER PARTICIPATION : India’s “third gender” enters poll fray with new hope

In a first, the Lok Sabha Election this year has at least four candidates from the transgender community, traditionally one of the most under-represented groups in the electorate as well as political leadership. Prabhu Mallikarjunan looks at their participation this year, as well as the challenges that lie ahead.
Apr 22 2014
VOTING DECISIONS
What sways the urban voter?
VOTING DECISIONS : What sways the urban voter?
Gujarat bucks the urban trend when it comes to identity voting, while cities in the prosperous northern states place high emphasis on choice of MP candidate. Srinivasan Ramani discovers several interesting facts on urban choice, through GIS mapping of data obtained from a voter perception survey.
Apr 22 2014
VOTER SPEAK
Chennai voters wary of disappearing acts
VOTER SPEAK : Chennai voters wary of disappearing acts

They make an appearance before every election with a basket of promises and some patchwork to impress the electorate, only to disappear after the results. As Chennai prepares to vote on 24 April, residents tell Lavanya Donthamshetty how tired they are of such politicians, wishing for a leader with vision and the commitment to turn it into reality.
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Apr 21 2014
MP SURVEY
Can educated MPs do more for education?
MP SURVEY : Can educated MPs do more for education?

Basic education and subsequent employment opportunities are issues that India has continued to grapple with even during periods of reasonable growth. Could highly educated parliamentarians necessarily drive these forward? Tanvi Bhatikar analyses findings of a recent voters’ survey in search of an answer.
Apr 18 2014
INTERVIEW
Homecoming election for Harvard professor, courtesy Mamata
INTERVIEW : Homecoming election for Harvard professor, courtesy Mamata
Historian and author Sugato Bose is taking a break from his position at Harvard University to contest the Lok Sabha elections from a key urban constituency in West Bengal as a candidate of the ruling Trinamool Congress. He speaks to Amrita Mukherjee on his plans for parliament if elected.
Apr 18 2014
OP-ED
A scheme for a better parliament
OP-ED : A scheme for a better parliament
Though the quality and calibre of our representatives in Parliament, and consequently its functioning, has often come under a cloud, options for induction of apolitical talent in Parliament are limited. P V Rajeev envisions a scheme that could make it possible.
Apr 17 2014
LIVEABLE CITIES
On the right track, but miles to go
LIVEABLE CITIES : On the right track, but miles to go
In March this year, Gil Penalosa of the Toronto-based NGO 8-80 Cities spoke in Mumbai and Bangalore of his global vision for liveable cities. Concluding his coverage of Penalosa’s talk, Darryl D’Monte explains why, despite a few isolated efforts, India requires a giant leap in initiative and attitudes to realise that vision.
Apr 16 2014
OPINION
Why I will not fall for the ‘Vote for PM’ trick
OPINION : Why I will not fall for the ‘Vote for PM’ trick
As India votes in the midst of a rising campaign crescendo that pits one individual against the other, Subramaniam Vincent urges the electorate to prioritise a 'better parliament.'
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Apr 16 2014
DECODING MANIFESTOS
What they say about the things that really matter
DECODING MANIFESTOS : What they say about the things that really matter
Responsible governance, economic security for the maximum numbers and ecological sustainability are the three key challenges facing the country today. Ashish Kothari deconstructs the Congress, BJP and AAP manifestos to see what these parties promise on these fronts.
Apr 15 2014
WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT
Women MPs: At par, but rare still
WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT : Women MPs: At par, but rare still

Mainstream political parties do not give sufficient opportunity to women so that their representation has remained poor even in states with higher literacy rates. The electorate, however views them as equal performers as men, as the recent Daksh-ADR survey has shown. Prabhu Mallikarjunan presents some interesting findings on the issue.
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