Neelam Pandit

Historically, the Election Commission of India has done a commendable job of taking India from a fledging democracy to a place where it claims to be the ‘mother of democracy’, but recent developments suggest an urgent need for course correction. — IN a recent interview with Deepak Sharma, noted economist Dr Parakala Prabhakar warned that should the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) retain power in the forthcoming general elections, India might not witness another election.

This piece examines the shrinking civil society space in India, with the rise of sectarian groups, decline in media ethics, and curtailment of academic freedoms. It emphasises the vital role of civil society in upholding democracy and advocates for increased civic engagement to preserve democratic values. — Pluralistic and democratic societies are characterised by active, diverse and critical civic engagement.

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh was recently in Egypt to bolster defence cooperation and the move is slated to add “new impetus and synergy” between the two nations. The Minister also spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and emphasized the need for more collaboration, knowledge sharing, and sharing best practices to combat challenges from terrorism and extremism.