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The Ghost of Elections Past: Dousing the Fire - A Drop at a Time
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Published in Business and Finance on Wednesday, November 12th 2025 at 12:00 GMT by ThePrint- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Summarising “The Ghost of Elections Past: Dousing the Fire – A Drop at a Time”
(ThePrint, 27 Feb 2025)
The article opens by drawing a stark picture of the “ghost” that haunts every Indian electoral season: the memory of past elections that still shape the political climate, the behaviour of voters, and the tactics of parties. The author argues that while each general election is a fresh event, it is also a reenactment of older patterns—caste mobilisations, regional identities, media‑driven narratives, and the perennial struggle over electoral integrity. “A drop at a time” is presented as the metaphor for incremental reforms that could gradually silence these ghosts.
1. The Historical Context of Indian Elections
The piece gives a concise chronology, beginning with India’s first general election in 1951‑52. It highlights the evolution from a paper‑ballot system to the now ubiquitous electronic voting machines (EVMs), a change that came in the early 2000s under the Election Commission of India (ECI). The article cites the ECI’s own Circular 2022‑EVM (Rev. 1) (link provided) to underline the regulatory framework that governs EVM usage and the recent push for biometric authentication. The narrative frames these technical changes as attempts to “douse the fire” of electoral malpractices.
A significant portion of the article examines the 1977 and 1984 elections, noting how the Emergency and its aftermath left an indelible mark on voter trust. The author quotes a report from the Satyagraha Committee (link) that details how the 1977 backlash against the Congress party created a legacy of scepticism that still echoes in today’s “anti‑incumbency” narratives.
2. Persistent Ghosts: Corruption, Identity Politics, and Media
a. Corruption and the “Spoiler” Phenomenon
The article points out that corruption allegations have been a constant ghost, re‑emerging with each election cycle. Using the 2019 general election as a case study, the author references the Economic Times piece (link) that tracked how the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) campaigned on anti‑corruption pledges, only for both parties to later face scrutiny over money‑lending scandals. The persistence of this narrative is tied to a larger distrust in political institutions.
b. Caste and Regional Identity
Drawing on a 2023 Economic & Political Weekly (EPW) analysis, the article discusses how caste‑based mobilisations continue to shape voting patterns. The EPW article, linked in the text, explains that the “Jatis” system still functions as a “ghostly undercurrent” that political parties lean on to secure seats. The author points to the rise of regional parties like the Trinamool Congress and the Telugu Desam Party as evidence that regional identity remains a potent electoral lever.
c. Media, Social Platforms, and Fake News
The article dedicates a section to media’s role in feeding electoral ghosts. It references a Freedom House report (link) on misinformation, noting how viral narratives—particularly on WhatsApp and Facebook—continue to spread without verification. The 2021 Supreme Court ruling (link) on the “Digital Platforms Policy” is highlighted as a legal attempt to curb misinformation but is portrayed as only a “drop” in the vast ocean of social media influence.
3. Incremental Reforms: The “Drop at a Time” Strategy
The heart of the article lies in its discussion of potential reforms that, though modest, could collectively “douse” the ghosts.
| Reform | Current Status | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Biometric Voter ID | 2023 pilot in Karnataka, Maharashtra | Reduces impersonation, but costly for large states |
| Delimitation Commission | Last worked in 2002, stalled by political will | Would equalise voter representation, addressing “ghost districts” |
| Public Financing of Campaigns | Pilot programmes in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh | Levels the playing field, reduces money‑lobbying |
| Independent Electoral Audit | Proposed by the National Democratic Institute (link) | Enhances transparency in vote counting |
| Voter Education Initiatives | Various NGO programmes | Addresses misinformation, improves informed voting |
The author underlines that these reforms are not revolutionary in isolation; instead, they are “drops” that, when combined, can gradually transform the electoral landscape. The article cites a 2022 policy brief from the International IDEA (link) that argues for a multi‑pronged approach, echoing the author’s “drop‑at‑a‑time” philosophy.
4. The Role of Civil Society and Judiciary
The piece concludes by emphasising the symbiotic relationship between civil society, the judiciary, and electoral governance. It references the Supreme Court’s 2022 judgment on the “Right to Vote” (link), which reinforced the constitutional right to vote regardless of caste, gender, or economic status. The author argues that such judicial backing, when paired with proactive civil‑society watchdogs, can create a robust framework that continues to counteract the ghosts of past elections.
5. Takeaway
“The Ghost of Elections Past: Dousing the Fire – A Drop at a Time” offers a layered analysis of how historical patterns—be it corruption, identity politics, or media manipulation—continue to haunt every Indian election. By juxtaposing past and present, the author advocates for incremental reforms that, while modest on their own, collectively hold the promise of silencing these ghosts. The article is thorough in its use of secondary sources—linking to the Election Commission, Supreme Court rulings, academic journals, and NGO reports—to ground its arguments in concrete evidence. For readers seeking a nuanced understanding of India’s electoral evolution, the piece provides a valuable roadmap of where the country stands today and the steps required to move forward.
Read the Full ThePrint Article at:
[ https://theprint.in/last-laughs/the-ghost-of-elections-past-dousing-the-fire-a-drop-a-time/2782619/ ]