Indian Politics and Political Processes

List of Figures x

List of Tables xi

Notes on Contributors xii

Acknowledgements xvii

List of Abbreviations xix

Introduction 1

MITHILESH KUMAR JHA AND KAMAL NAYAN CHOUBEY

SECTION I

Indian Constitution, State and Emerging Trends 33

1 Indian Constitution: Antecedents, Philosophy and Basic Features 35

OM PRAKASH

2 State, Society and the Nation 53

MOHINDER SINGH

3 Populism and the 'Nirgun' People 75

ADITYA NIGAM

4 Forms of Contemporary Religious Movements 95

MANINDRA NATH THAKUR

5 Regulating the Electoral Domain: The Election Commission of India 115

UJJWAL KUMAR SINGH AND ANUPAMA ROY

SECTION II

Political Processes I: Changing Dynamics of Institutions and Political Parties 129

6 Indian Judiciary: Changing Role and Dynamics of the Supreme Court of India 131

INDRAJEET KUMAR JHA

7 Indian Parliament: Changing Contours and Challenging Future 156

MEENAKSHI GOGOI AND MITHILESH KUMAR JHA

8 Federal Polity in the Multiparty Coalition Era and Beyond 174

HEMANT DOGRA AND MITHILESH KUMAR JHA

9 Policy Paths to Welfare and Citizen Well-Being: A Rights-Based Perspective 197

HIMANSHU JHA

10 Elections and Voting Behaviour: Historical Antecedents and Contemporary Trends 221

SUMIT KUMAR SARMA AND MITHILESH KUMAR JHA

11 The Congress Party and the Indian Party System 237

RAJESH KUMAR

12 Bharatiya Janata Party: Electoral Dominance or Ideological Hegemony? 259

MITHILESH KUMAR JHA

SECTION III

Political Processes II: Contested Determinants of Indian Politics 275

13 Changing Dynamics of Caste and Politics in India 277

SATAKSHI MALVIYA AND SHAMIK VATSA

14 The Middle Class in India: Politics, Economy and Culture 296

ASHUTOSH KUMAR

15 Understanding Tribal India: Constitutional Rights, Issues and Challenges 318

KAMAL NAYAN CHOUBEY

16 Gender and Indian Politics 342

RASHMI GOPI

17 Secularism in India: Theories, Practices and Controversies 364

ANURAG PANDEY

18 Local Self-Government: Panchayats and Municipalities 387

SMITA AGARWAL

SECTION IV

Political Processes III: Site of Concerns and Challenges to Indian Democracy 407

19 The Idea of Minority: An Indian Story 409

HILAL AHMED

20 Politics of Ethnonationalism and Multi-Level Governance in India 436

PAHI SAIKIA

21 Discourse on the Environment and Development in India 463

MEENAKSHI GOGOI

22 The Politics of the Public Health System in India 480

SKYLAB SAHU

Index