INDIA after traversing almost seven decades of electoral democracy, with all her trials and tribulations, the very idea of One Nation, One Election (ONOE) now seems quite outlandish for the simple reason that the architecture of the election process, as envisaged constitutionally and practised in accordance with the imperatives of federalism, doesn’t allow much space for it. Indian federalism, to begin with, is both structurally and process-wise multilevel–Centre, State and Local—and elections happen at all the levels according to their own contingencies and exigencies. Can we conceive of elections, notwithstanding the size and scale, at all three levels at one go? Why is nobody talking about local elections? Panchayats and municipalities are the bedrock of Indian democracy and any sort of marginalisation of local elections or, for that matter, trivialisation of state elections by the ONOE scheme would gradually subvert the ‘constitutionalisation of democratic politics’ in India.
Layers Of Lear
Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold
Loss and Longing
Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago
Fortress of Desire
A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort
Of Hope and Hopelessness
The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film
Ruptured Lives
A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles
The Big Book
The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha
How to Refuse the Generous Thief
The poet uses all the available arsenal in English to write the most anti-colonial poetry
The Freedom Compartment
#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers
Love, Up in the Clouds
Manikbabur Megh is an unusual love story about a man falling for a cloud. Amborish Roychoudhury discusses the process of Manikbabu's creation with actor Chandan Sen and director Abhinandan Banerjee
