The publication of Bihar’s final electoral roll is more than a bureaucratic exercise. It is a reaffirmation of democratic integrity at a time when dynastic politics continues to undermine the very idea of democracy.
The strength of India’s democracy rests on the country’s institutions. The ECI, under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, prepares electoral rolls through transparent mechanisms, insulating the process from political meddling. The State Election Commission of Bihar has underscored this autonomy, reiterating that rolls are “within the exclusive domain of the ECI.”
However, such autonomy was compromised during the Congress tenure. The appointment of Navin Chawla as Chief Election Commissioner in 2009, despite the Shah Commission’s observations about his conduct during the Emergency, raised serious questions about institutional autonomy and credibility. Appointments were unilateral back then. Today, the reforms – now the opinion of the leader of the Opposition is also valued – have restored the institutional autonomy. We must remember that the institutions are not ornamental; they are the foundation of democracy. ECI’s SIR upholds this autonomy and the constitutional processes. In contrast, political parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which have criticised the procedure, represent the opposite. For them, institutional values like democracy don’t exist.
For example, Lalu Prasad has been chosen as RJD’s national president for a 13th consecutive tenure. There was no contest, no debate, no alternative. His son, Tejashwi Yadav, remains the heir-in-waiting. Political scientist Zoya Hasan has observed that dynastic politics flourishes “where political organisations decay.”
So, Bihar today sits at the intersection of two stories. On one side, dynasties treat parties treat the state and its institutions as private estates. On the other hand, we see institutions like the ECI performing their duties with consistency and transparency. The RJD’s brand of dynastic politics is not a minor defect; it is a structural betrayal of democracy. Bihar has already suffered under the “Jungle Raj” years — a period of lawlessness and stagnation that stemmed from the concentration of power in one family. In contrast, institutions — from the ECI to the Supreme Court — continue to embody constitutional resilience.
However, Bihar’s history also tells us something else. The state has long been the moral pulse of Indian democracy. Movements like Champaran (1917) — Gandhi’s first satyagraha began in Bihar, turning peasants into the vanguard of anti-colonial resistance; JP Movement (1974–75) — Jayaprakash Narayan’s call for “Total Revolution” was born in Bihar, igniting a mass democratic uprising against corruption and authoritarianism — have made the people of Bihar politically conscious. This is evident in the data of the Election Commission that shows higher-than-average turnouts in consecutive elections.
Bihar has shown that its people cannot be silenced by authoritarianism, whether imposed by colonial rulers, Congress’s Emergency, or dynastic parties. The publication of the final electoral roll reminds us of an enduring truth: Institutions, not dynasties, safeguard democracy. Congress and RJD may continue to operate as family enterprises, but Bihar’s history — and India’s democracy — belong to the people and the institutions they trust. As JP said: “When the people rise, no power on earth can stop them.” That remains as true in 2025 as it was in 1975.
The writer is national spokesperson, BJP
