Although it is the nation’s proud boast that India is the world’s most populous (not largest) democracy, evidence is mounting that the idealistically heroic decision to introduce universal adult franchise when a mere 12 percent of the population was literate, was an error. Since 1951 when post-independence India’s first General Election was held, gullible, uneducated electorates have given huge majorities to political parties led by charismatic leaders who have repeatedly betrayed their trust.

Corruption and criminality engendered by socialist licence-permit-quota raj became ubiquitous and struck deep roots to the extent that the worst elements of society are routinely elected to top-level positions in the Central and state governments. The recently concluded legislative assembly election in Bihar (pop.104 million) offers startling evidence of this trend. According to a detailed study conducted by the Delhi-based Association for Democratic Reforms, 68 percent (cf. 58 percent in 2015) of the newly elected MLAs have criminal charges filed against them with 51 percent (40 percent) facing serious criminal charges.

Nor is criminality a BJP/JDU monopoly in this benighted state (per capita income: Rs.43,000 cf. the national average of Rs.1.35 lakh). Fifty-four of the 74 winning candidates of the main opposition RJD party have criminal charges, and 44 have serious criminal charges filed against them. These MLAs disprove the popular morality adage that crime doesn’t pay. Their average assets are evaluated (on the basis of self-declarations in their filed election forms) at Rs.4.32 crore and 81 percent of them are crorepatis (assets valued at over Rs.1 crore).

Evidently in contemporary Bihar, Abraham Lincoln’s famous aphorism that you can’t fool all the people all the time has been disproved. Following Gresham law that bad money drives out good, in 21st century Bihar, crooks and villains drive the best people out of the hustings and democracy has been driven off the rails.