Election of criminal politicians and public service delivery

Why are politicians with criminal records elected to office, despite voters having the option to weed them out? Based on the hypothesis that criminal politicians strategically deliver targeted benefit...

  • Articles

Boosting Lekhpal performance via data-driven feedback and recognition

The Lekhpals Actionable KPI System for Holistic Assessment and Management (LAKSHYAM) is an initiative to measure and enhance the work performance of Lekhpals, who are frontline functionaries of the Re...

  • Notes from the Field

Building State capacity for accelerating development through effective governance

In a new edition of I4I conversations, Maitreesh Ghatak (London School of Economics) is joined by Karthik Muralidharan (University of California, San Diego) to discuss his new book, Accelerating India...

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The strategic logic of money flows in Indian elections

Why do political candidates give voters handouts during election campaigns, even when they are unable to monitor voter behaviour? Based on a qualitative study in Mumbai, this article argues that compe...

  • Articles

Protecting data privacy: Authorisation and access control

The B.N. Srikrishna Committee, which was constituted in August 2017 to draft India’s data protection laws, is expected to submit its final recommendations this month. In this post, Banerjee and Shar...

  • Perspectives

Sunlight as disinfectant: Disclosure requirements and corruption in India

It is believed that transparency and free access to information can root out corruption and malfeasance in government. This article finds that the introduction of asset disclosure rules for candidates...

  • Articles

Enfranchising your own? Polling officer identity and electoral outcomes

The provision of free and fair elections is a public service critical to maintaining accountability and responsiveness of elected officials. This article examines the administration of polling station...

  • Articles

Election by community consensus: Effects on political selection and governance

Multiple states in India incentivise village communities to elect their political representatives by community consensus, doing away with the need for state governments to organise official secret bal...

  • Articles

New ideas for fighting corruption in India

Even as technological innovations have reduced petty bribery, it is clear that bigger forms of corruption are flourishing in India. In this post, Avinash Dixit and Ritika Mankar propose the formation ...

  • Perspectives

Parikshit Ghosh speaks with Karl Ove Moene

There is a view that upsurge in inequality due to globalisation is leading to rising appeal of political platforms that promote inward-looking policies. In this podcast, Parikshit Ghosh (Member of the...

  • Podcasts

Do political parties matter for ethnic violence? The Congress and Hindu-Muslim riots in India

India has seen frequent violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims since independence. This column analyses an important yet largely overlooked driver of ethnic violence: the ruling political party at...

  • Articles

Impact of Elite Capture on the Provision of Public Services

The Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project commonly called JEEViKA, is a community-driven poverty reduction programme with the key aim of improving the social and economic empowerment of the rural poor.

  • IGC Research on India

Effectiveness fo E-Auctions in Emerging Economies

The primary research goal of this project is to examine whether governments in emerging economies can increase revenues by selling land through e-auctions (anonymous auctions conduced online over a pe...

  • IGC Research on India

Social Networks, Property Rights and Public Services in the Slums of Patna and Jaipur

This project provides important original insight into the factors that condition the capacity of the urban poor to achieve formal recognition of slums, private property rights, and better public servi...

  • IGC Research on India

Why is Assam left behind in India's economic boom? A behavioural perspective on the effect of conflict

In addition to having deep, persistent socioeconomic costs, civil conflict can profoundly change individual beliefs, values, and preferences. This project seeks to analyse why Assam – a state where ...

  • IGC Research on India

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Yamini Aiyar

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Shrayana Bhattacharya

Author and Economist

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Abhinav Khemka

University of Milan Statale

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Fahad Hasin

IDinsight

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Sakshi Ugale

Government of Maharastra

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Maitreesh Ghatak

London School of Economics

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University of California, San Diego

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Ranchi University; Delhi School of Economics

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Most Popular Governance Posts

Unique Health Identification and Aadhaar: A case for mandatory linkage

As part of the Digital India initiative, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) issues a Unique Health Identification (UHID) number to each patient, which documents their entire journey in th...

  • Perspectives

Caste dominance in rural India: Cause and effect

Rural India remains a caste-based society. This column explores why caste continues to play such an important role and what the effects are. It argues that trade and agricultural productivity suffer, ...

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The digital dream: Upskilling India for the future

While the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace at which technology is becoming commonplace in our lives, it has also exposed a stark digital divide, leaving a large proportion of India’s popul...

  • Perspectives