One difference between India and Pakistan is the orderly transfer of power after elections. This tradition will continue

Independent India has elected a House of Representatives 16 times in the seven decades it has been a republic and other than an unfortunate interregnum between 1975 and 1977, none of our elections have been delayed. Sometimes, the Governments formed after these elections have lasted their full terms, other times, they have fallen within days. Indian democracy is far from perfect but no democracy in the world actually is flawless. And given the huge size of this country and its population, including the fact that we are the most unique nation state in the world given our immense ethnic diversity, democracy is and shall remain  the best form of Government for this country. While Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan talks of peace, one must not forget that he came to power thanks to a rigged election against his chief rival, Nawaz Sharif. Rigged for Khan by the Pakistani military and the judiciary. That has not been the case with any of our neighbours. In fact, with the notable exception of Japan, no other country in Asia, which is not a monarchy, has seen such consistent and peaceful transfer of power. We must not forget that wide swathes of the world continue to be ruled by autocratic leaders who do not allow divergent voices to be heard. While many in India have often accused Governments of stifling voices — and this is an accusation against many Governments over the years here — the fact is that they still get heard and in these days of online and social media, it is almost impossible to stifle opinions.

So, despite tensions on the border with Pakistan and the threat of a potential war, it was heartening to hear the Chief Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora, confirm that elections to the 17th Lok Sabha will continue as scheduled. It is believed that the dates will be announced sometime in the coming few days and like earlier editions, this one will be a massive, multi-phase exercise. The Indian General Elections are one of the most demanding and possibly the largest logistical exercise in the world and should be celebrated as such. And, of course, electioneering in India is a unique event, with roadside speeches and huge rallies attended by tens of thousands. Much will be promised and many accusations will be thrown. This, in essence, is the beauty of the Indian democratic system. Flaws remain though — minorities and women are still grossly under-represented. The first past the post system often ends up punishing parties, which have a significant share of the vote, and despite limits on campaign finance, those are regularly violated thanks to absurdly low benchmarks. Votes are still bought and sold for clothes, liquor and cash. But at the end of the day, the Indian elections are as good as one can possibly make them in the current environment. We should all celebrate this process and do our bit as well, which is to cast our vote when the moment comes for our turn.