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9781009346863

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'Never before in India's political history has such value been placed on the functioning of institutions that regulate, shape and monitor democratic processes. This excellent work is an exceptionally timely and valuable contribution to the study of democratic institutions and their significance. Institutions are vital and central to the functioning of democracy. Taking her cue from theories of new institutionalism' that focus on how institutions shape political processes, and to a certain extent how they are impacted by political processes, Manjari Katju has competently and compellingly drawn our attention to this aspect of democracy. This book will help us understand not only the institutional meltdown in our country but also what the implications of this meltdown are. Manjari is to be congratulated.' Neera Chandhoke, Former Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi 'For all of us who study Indian elections, this book should be required reading. It describes elections from the other side – the monumental tasks of annually updating electoral rolls, supervising more than a million poll booths, and protecting the results. With the perspective of 'new institutionalism' in political science, it shows how the EC has navigated changing institutional relationships with the Supreme Court, parliamentary requirements and the central police while making critical investments in new technologies that confirm voter identity and record votes. Through outreach to low-voting populations, the EC has played a major role in building commitment to democracy in India. Above all, the EC has institutionally managed often difficult relationships with dominant parties and eased the entry of marginal ones into the competition.' Carolyn Elliott, Professor of Political Science Emerita, University of Vermont 'Electoral Practice and the Election Commission of India is crucial to the well-being of this great democracy. Manjari Katju has produced a perceptive and extremely valuable analysis of its huge importance, its remarkable achievements over the years and the dangers that it now faces.' James Manor, Professor Emeritus, School of Advanced Study, University of London

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Manjari Katju is professor of Political Science at the University of Hyderabad, India, where she teaches courses on Indian and Comparative Politics. She has researched and written on various facets of Hindu nationalism as well as state institutions in India. She has authored the books Vishva Hindu Parishad and Indian Politics (2003) and Hinduising Democracy: The Vishva Hindu Parishad in Contemporary India (2017). Her research writings can also be found in journals like the Economic and Political Weekly, Studies in Indian Politics and Contemporary South Asia.

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