The Democracy Report 2020 by V-Dem Institute created quite a storm recently in India’s policy circles.
Context
The Democracy Report 2020 by V-Dem Institute created quite a storm recently in India’s policy circles. The report claimed that the world’s largest democracy is on the verge of losing its status as a democracy.
However, much attention is required on the widespread use of the anti-terror law — the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 or UAPA — in a growing number of instances.
Background
Analysis
What does the Report say?
What are the major concerns?
What are the problems with the UAPA?
What about the ‘Judicial mechanism’ in UAPA?
An indifferent judiciary
How Lower Courts are dealing with UAPA cases?
Conclusion
To conclude, India’s democracy, as indicated by multiple global reports and studies, is in deep crisis. With a strong executive eyeing to dominate every major democratic institution and control major narratives (in the absence of an effective political opposition) in the young republic, an independent and effective judiciary is the last hope to provide a check on executive excesses. A growing trend of indiscriminate use of draconian anti-terror laws by governments to silence dissenting voices and the judicial indifference to these gross violations of freedom is fast eroding India’s democratic credentials. Time is running out for India and the judiciary in particular to restore its hard-earned credibility.
Verifying, please be patient.