To what extent does the level of internal democracy within political parties impact the functioning and legitimacy of the Indian party system? What reforms can address the challenges of inadequate intra-party democracy in India?

The manner of all democracies completed the festival of elections by electing the 18th Lok Sabha, yet intra-party democracy was found lacking. Lack of internal democracy's effects: (1) Functioning of party system: reduced to 'fiefdom of few' - Hon truly representing diverse interest (2) Legitimacy of party system: Disillusionment with the current brass → reduced the total of voters → 'self disenfranchisement' phenomenon

Lack of democracy plays out as: (1) Nepotism in political ranks (2) Inadequate representation of field level workers (3) Betrayal of political elite (4) Inability to voice opinion in parliament (5) Culture of coercion of yamans preventing change led movements Yet India's system may still think in absence of intra-party democracy because: (1) Party hopping politicians have other means of expressing dissent (2) Reservations are constitutionally mandated and therefore inevitably leads to consensus (3) In places where vote caste decides your vote happens central party bands to local aspirations

Reforms for intra party democracy: (1) Compulsory women registration of 33% written party local offices too (2) Compulsory intra party elections at regular intervals (3) Max term period for President for political party (4) ECI to be empowered to cancel registration of parties not solely intend democracies NLCWFC recommends bolstering democracy by increasing the total number of women elected to LS (done through 106th CAA)

— Rangamanju · AIR 1