Political processes in India

Political processes are the everyday ways in which power is organised, contested and exercised in India, from elections and bureaucracy to panchayats, courts and welfare policy. This chapter connects tribe, nation state and border with governance, development and corruption. For example, a health scheme succeeds only when bureaucratic rules, local politics and gendered access work together, not merely when a policy is announced in Delhi. It also shows how ordinary citizens use courts, media and protest to hold power accountable.