Human rights in post-Independent India: the great enduring myth

ABSTRACT

According to the Swedish policy institute V-Dem, India, the world’s largest democracy, has ‘turned into an electoral autocracy’. This paper illuminates the links between human rights and democracy. It outlines the evolution of constitutionally guaranteed rights in India from 1947 to the present, identifying and analysing the various ways in they are violated. The author argues that violation of human rights is anti-democratic, and calls for adherence to, and provision of, constitutionally guaranteed rights to prevent the ongoing erosion of Indian democracy.

KEYWORDS:

• India
• democracy
• human rights
• constitution
• supreme court
• high courts

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).