The Department of Political Science at the School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad (UoH), organised a discussion titled “Money and Democracy: Should India Fund its Democracy?” The session was led by Dr. Niranjan Sahoo, a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation and an alumnus of the department, having earned his PhD from the university in 2001. Dr. Sahoo also served as President of the Students’ Council during the academic year 1997-98.
During his talk, Dr. Sahoo raised important questions about democracy and the role of money within it. He emphasised that while democracy requires funding, this necessity can lead to corruption. His presentation compared current electoral funding in India with other countries where public financing is institutionalised.
He addressed two critical questions: Why is the electoral process so expensive, and why have electoral costs escalated in India? Dr Sahoo cited several factors contributing to rising costs, including the size of constituencies, the challenges candidates face in reaching voters, the decline of traditional voting bases, and the increasing expenses associated with social media. He also noted that economic reforms have resulted in a significant influx of money available for campaigns and discussed the implications of these financial surges on elections.
The speaker stressed the importance of disclosure and transparency, referencing practices from other countries. He advocated for strict enforcement of regulations and penalties. Dr. Sahoo suggested that public funding could help reduce corporate influence, political corruption, and disparities between parties while improving transparency. He believes state funding would enhance political participation among youth and women, allowing them to benefit from such support.
Following Dr. Sahoo’s talk, an engaging discussion ensued, led by Mr Amal Jose Philip, Phd Scholar in the Department, who raised pertinent questions that connected Dr Sahoo’s lecture to the existing literature on election finance in India. Amal critically examined the impact of funding on party elites and the centralised organisational structure of funding. He also explored whether to fund the party or the candidate.
The lecture was attended by research scholars, students and faculty from different units of the University. Attendees actively participated in this vibrant discussion, further enriching the session.
Contributed by Sudeep Kesharwanee, Masters Student and Satyaki Barua, Research Scholar at the Department of Political Science