India’s democracy needs different electoral rhythms - The Hindu
• The author argues that forcing India's state electoral cycles to align with the central government prioritizes administrative convenience over democratic substance. • This push for uniformity pressures voters to elect the same party at both levels, effectively coercing regional alignment under the guise of developmental efficiency. • The current dynamic penalizes states that choose independent political paths, often resulting in those states being starved of essential federal resources.
thehindu.com