Page 11 - Leap of Faith Vol - 2

Message

Chief Election Commissioner of India

lections in India, the largest democracy of the through eloquent content and vivid photographs. It
world, amaze the comity of nations by their sheer incorporates the developments during the last one year
E scale and complexity. They have been an including elections to the august offices of President and
exemplar for being truly free, fair, accessible and inclusive. Vice President of India, the legislative assembly elections
Democracy in India has ensured peaceful transition of held in several states, and recent initiatives taken by the
power every time, through exercise of the ballot. Commission to make elections more inclusive, voter
friendly, and inducement free.
We have every reason to take immense pride in this
democratic heritage. It is the only form of governance With Election Commission of India having several reform
that could accommodate the kaleidoscopic diversity and plans at various stages of actualisation, the future of
asymmetries of this vast country. Those who pronounced elections is indeed filled with dynamic possibilities.
democracy's unsuitability for India, and even predicted its Elections in India have a rich past. I am confident, they
demise had grossly underestimated its resilience and the have a glorious future ahead.
broad outlook of the Indian society. Over the last 70 years,
this democratic structure has sustained various socio-
political experiments. In fact, the level of participation in
elections has been steadily rising in the recent years,
backed by some sound voter engagement initiatives.
Participation of women has increased from around 45 per Rajiv Kumar
cent in the first general election in 1951-52 to 67 per cent Chief Election Commissioner of India
in the 17 General Elections to Lok Sabha in 2019.

Election Commission of India has decided to publish the
second and enlarged edition of ‘Leap of Faith: Journey of
Indian Elections’. The book traces the journey of elections

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