India at Lowest-Ever Democracy Ranking Since Emergency, V-Dem Report Finds

New Delhi: India has fallen to its lowest-ever position and score in its democratic history, according to the latest Democracy Index released by the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. The study points to a “dire and alarming” situation for democracy in the country.

India has dropped to its lowest ranking and score since the period of the Emergency in 1975. According to the list released by the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute, India ranks 106th on the Electoral Democracy Index. The study assessed democratic systems across 179 countries.

Electoral Autocracy

Democratic institutions have been systematically and deliberately weakened, with the study pointing to the existence of an “electoral autocracy” in India.

At the same time, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD) has expressed serious concern over violations of the rights of ethnic and religious minorities and their persecution in India.

Transparency and accountability in the judiciary are also facing challenges. The study points to significant deterioration over the past half-century in corruption control in public administration, the autonomy of constitutional institutions such as the Election Commission, and the neutrality of civil service officials.

Interference in Media and Academic Freedom

The harassment faced by journalists has increased, while academic freedom has declined. Interference in freedom of research and teaching has also intensified. These developments have weakened the foundations of democracy, the V-Dem study points out.

UN Raises Similar Concerns

Observations released by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) regarding the situation of ethnic, religious, tribal and minority communities in India also reflect similar concerns. The committee made its observations public after a review meeting held in Geneva. This is the first time since 2007 that the United Nations body has raised such concerns about India at this level.

The report points to large-scale violations and harassment by law enforcement officials, including police, against Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, Dalits, religious and ethnic minorities, and migrants.

It also states that large numbers of voters were removed from electoral rolls through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), allegedly targeting minorities.

The committee further highlighted a sharp increase in violence driven by ethnic and religious motives, excessive use of force, unlawful extrajudicial killings by state authorities, retaliatory detention without trial, custodial torture and police abuses involving ethnic and religious profiling.