India’s elections face unprecedented scrutiny amid questions over their legitimacy

The legitimacy of India’s elections is facing unprecedented scrutiny after new revelations about divisions within the Election Commission, the body responsible for conducting the vote.

Critics say controversial policies adopted by the commission may have disenfranchised tens of millions of people. The revelations have intensified questions over the credibility of India’s electoral process.

Election body faces scrutiny

India’s Election Commission is a constitutional body formally tasked with operating autonomously. It administers elections in the world’s largest democracy.

The commission had earned international admiration in recent decades for managing voting on an unmatched scale and with exceptional complexity. The new allegations have put that reputation, and the legitimacy of the elections, under renewed pressure.