align="left">This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the most defining event of our republic’s history – the imposition of ‘emergency’ during the midnight of June 25-26, 1975.  Thirty years is a long enough period to enable us to take a dispassionate, objective view of the tumultuous events of that period.

align="left">The Union cabinet recently decided to appoint the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (SARC), and a group of ministers has been constituted to finalize the terms of reference. This is in keeping with the UPA government’s commitment, and the Prime Minister’s oft-repeated concern about revamping the delivery system.

India has a functioning democracy and several institutions and practices ensure checks and balances and a modicum of governance. And yet, every government feels handicapped in delivering on its promises.

One of the great challenges facing our republic is the increasing regional disparities. It is well recognized that the South and the West are the engines of growth, along with the region in and around Delhi. The North and the East, with the exception of West Bengal are in dire straits, though considerable potential exists in the fertile Gangetic plains.

By all accounts, Mr Chidambaram presented a credible and creditable budget. He had to achieve balance in a complex situation – between political compulsions and fiscal prudence, quest for economic growth and concern for equity, and infrastructure needs and populist impulses.

Impressive Record

Whenever people in general, and pundits in particular, talk about the state of democracy in our country their discussion is limited to talking about the ills plaguing our system. We all know that flawed electoral rolls, polling irregularities, vote buying, unaccountable use of money in elections, criminalisation of politics and the curse of defections are some of the topics which keep the people engaged. Indeed, these are serious abuses of power. However, instead of simply ranting about them, why not look at the solutions in a holistic way?

By the time this article appears in print, General Elections would have been completed and the new government would have taken the reins. Some of you have would be reflecting on the recently concluded elections and probably somewhere in the corner of your mind a question might have cropped up: “Is too much of democracy good for our country?” Well, you are not the only one thinking on those lines.

Recently, Lok Satta released a list of 51 politicians with criminal antecedents, based on nine verifiable, rational and objective criteria, including those who were acquitted in cases pertaining to grave offences. Looking to the ground swell of public opinion in support of the list, the political parties had to at least temporarily defer nominating the politicians who figured in the list.

dir="ltr">Harold McMillan famously said that one week was a long time in politics. NDA ignored that maxim in the exuberence which followed the victory of BJP in MP, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh in December. The stunning verdict in Lok Sabha polls brings us back to the realities of our politics.