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Since the dawn of Independence from the British rule, Indian democracy has been on an experimenting trajectory route. Despite all the pragmatic loopholes in its claim to be one of the largest democracies in the world, it is by far a reasonably successful electoral democracy. The fundamental pillars of the government are functioning in tandem with a reasonable democratic ethos. Being a large country with a market in countless divisional and segmented diversities, the government at times tends to look shaky and irresolute. During such situations, the judiciary becomes proactive in reminding the government about its constitutional obligations. This article seeks to address the historical evolution of judicial activism in India along with the reasons that catapult the trend of activism in the Indian judiciary. It also explores the recurrent impasses between the executive and the judiciary.

Swami Vivekananda was a multi-faceted personality. Some of his primal ideas on India are timelessly resounding. One of the recurrent themes is Vivekananda's agile efforts to revolutionize Hinduism. Hordes of literature emphatically explore Vivekananda's profound views on Hinduism. Vivekananda is overwhelmingly credited as the towering figure who also spiritually revitalizes the vitals of Hinduism. At the same time, no sufficient attention is directed towards the question of untouchability and caste as presented by Vivekananda. Vivekananda's whole body of ideas on caste and untouchability are largely left untouched, not least in the discourse on contemporary India. Are caste and untouchability interrelated according to Swami Vivekananda? Does Vivekananda consider caste and untouchability as the bane of Hinduism? Does Vivekananda call for the abolition of untouchability and caste? Does Vivekananda proffer the philosophical groundings about the supremacy of Hinduism? This article primarily attempts to dissect these immanent questions afresh.

Local government can share the administrative workloads and tackle local affairs democratically and with better understanding. It serves as one of the cornerstones of building democracy from the grassroots level. The increasing trend of decentralisation of powers provides people a platform to take part directly in the functioning of democratic governments. Local government in India constitutes the third stratum of government. Local government has constantly been experiencing multiple challenges. One most notable challenge is the lack of fiscal autonomy. The wave of greater politicisation of local governments by the political parties is also incessantly increasing. Centralising local issues have become a typical norm in Indian politics. This definitely sows the seeds for the erosion of local democracy. The present article examines the constitutional journey of local governments in India. It further explores the ensuing fiscal and federal challenges unfolding in the local governments in India.

Amid the debates as to whether India practises democracy in the true fashion, the stupendous role of the Election Commission of India (ECI) clearly exhibits that India adopts at least a robust electoral democracy. Stringent election codes of conduct are imposed on political parties. The ECI ensures that all Indian citizens eligible for political rights exercise their franchise independently. They are sufficiently empowered to choose their representatives. Since the responsibilities of ensuring free and fair elections are shouldered by the Election Commission, there is no doubt that it holds one of the worthiest roles in shaping Indian democracy. This article seeks to examine the changing role of the ECI in building electoral democracy in the country. Most importantly, the present article attempts to examine the noteworthy measures undertaken by the ECI to bolster the electoral democracy in India in the 21st century.

Caste still continues to be the most intriguing, yet fascinating, phenomenon which has not ceased to fascinate hordes of thinkers and intellectuals. Scholarships, amidst all those that abhor caste, appear to be overwhelming in the contemporary discourses. In the light of some theories which profess deep abomination against the caste system in India, Vivekananda's own elucidation on caste no longer necessitates to be placed into oblivion, even if most of the literatures on caste today appear not to take cognizance of it. Swami Vivekananda's interpretation of caste presents itself as a powerful defence of the caste system in India. Vivekananda does not bluntly promote the goodness of caste, for Vivekananda's defence of caste is precisely located on certain philosophical underpinnings which are largely bolstered by the historical trajectory of India related to caste. While reflecting on the brighter side of caste system, Vivekananda unravels the unique cultural and historical narratives of India. This article seeks to examine Vivekananda's own viewpoints on the question of caste in India, both in its original pristine form and in its modern caste practices. It further attempts to explore how far Vivekananda's statement on the inherent merits of caste system clashes with some of the rival theories.