The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and the India International Centre, Delhi cordially invite you to an online discussion on ‘Political Parties and the Indian Constitution: A Whip Too Far?’ as part of the series ‘Of Bridges and Breaks: The Constitution at a Crossroads‘. This conversation will take place on 1st April, 2022 (Friday), at 5:30 p.m. 

From 1947 to today, India has transitioned from a one-party state, to one with multiple national as well as regional parties. Politics has become polarised over the last few years, and political parties have had a crucial role to play in how that has come about. It is critical to address and discuss the nature and magnitude of the role ideology (and ideological conflicts) play in the conduct of party politics in India. Simultaneously, it is worth noting that the political party, as a unit, has not merited extensive discussion in constitutional law or theory. This discussion will also venture into questions of political party dynamics and constitutional design, and the framers’ vision of political parties. With the recent culmination of Legislative Assembly elections in five states, the time is ripe for obtaining greater clarity on the role political parties play in the functioning of Indian democracy. 

Speakers

• Dr. Rahul Verma, Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi
• Aradhya Sethia, PhD Candidate, University of Cambridge

The conversation will be moderated by Ritwika Sharma, Senior Resident Fellow and Lead, Charkha, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

The event will also be broadcast live on India International Centre’s YouTube channel.

ABOUT ‘OF BRIDGES & BREAKS: THE CONSTITUTION AT A CROSSROADS’

Charkha, Vidhi’s constitutional law centre, in collaboration with the India International Centre, is hosting a series of nuanced digital conversations on the Constitution of India titled “Of Bridges and Breaks: The Constitution at a Crossroads”.

Recent developments in India indicate it is of utmost importance that we pay attention to the acceleration of constitutional change, as well as on the widespread reliance on the document’s language and ethos. As part of this series, we will facilitate conversations between academicians, legal practitioners, and social workers, to underscore how different constitutional structures play out in practice.