The Role of Political Parties in Strengthening Democratic Governance in India
Keywords:
Political Parties, Democratic Governance, Electoral Reforms, Political Accountability, Indian Democracy.Abstract
Political parties play a fundamental role in strengthening democratic governance in India by connecting citizens with government institutions, facilitating political participation, and ensuring accountability in the decision-making process. As a representative parliamentary democracy, India relies on political parties to mobilise public opinion, contest elections, formulate policies, represent diverse social interests, and contribute to the formation and functioning of governments. This research examines the role of political parties in promoting democratic values, institutional transparency, public accountability, inclusive representation, and effective governance in the Indian political system. It explores how political parties contribute to electoral participation, legislative deliberations, policy formulation, and the representation of marginalised communities. The study also analyses major challenges affecting their democratic functioning, including the influence of money and muscle power, criminalisation of politics, corruption, dynastic leadership, ideological polarisation, and the limited practice of internal party democracy. Furthermore, it considers the significance of electoral reforms, transparent political funding, organisational accountability, ethical political leadership, and active citizen participation in improving democratic institutions. The study adopts a descriptive and analytical approach based on secondary sources, including books, scholarly articles, government reports, constitutional provisions, and relevant institutional publications. It seeks to understand the relationship between political party functioning and the quality of democratic governance in India.
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