Policy Roundup: Voting, Wealth Redistribution, State of Health

This monthly roundup highlights recent developments in India’s policy landscape, touching upon electronic voting machines, vote-buying, political dynasties, metabolic diseases, wealth redistribution, and significant Supreme Court rulings.

Voters and Candidates

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs): During the second phase of the general elections on April 26, the Supreme Court rejected petitions seeking 100% verification of votes cast using EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. The Court emphasized the importance of “nurturing a culture of trust and collaboration,” recalling the weaknesses of the old ballot paper system. A 2016 study by Debnath, Kapoor, and Ravi showed that EVMs reduced electoral fraud, making elections more competitive and reducing incumbent advantage, which ultimately supports development.

Vote-Buying: The Election Commission had confiscated a record Rs. 46.5 billion in illicit cash and goods by April 15, surpassing the previous general election cycle’s total haul of Rs. 34.75 billion. A study by Mitra, Mitra, and Mukherji (2017) found that consumption patterns, such as increased purchases of saris, meat, and liquor before elections, suggest rampant vote-buying in the country.

Political Dynasties: In West Bengal, 13 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats had candidates from political dynasties, up from three in previous elections. Research by George (2017) contends that dynastic politics can have ambiguous effects, as long-term investments might be encouraged by bequest motives, but heritable political capital might reduce the incentives for descendants to work hard for votes.

Wealth Redistribution

Debate on Wealth Inequality: Remarks by an Indian politician about discussing wealth redistribution sparked controversy. Leading economists like Jean Drèze and Kaushik Basu support the idea of taxing wealth in India, emphasizing the need to address disparities in inherited wealth and social capital. Pranab Bardhan’s Ashok Kotwal Memorial Lecture (2023) argued that previous attempts to tax wealth in India failed due to loopholes, suggesting that with modern reforms, such taxes could be more effective.

State of Health

Non-Communicable Diseases: Apollo Hospitals’ ‘Health of the Nation 2024’ Report highlighted India’s rising incidence of cancer and other non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes, exacerbated by obesity. Aiyar, Pingali, and Rahman (2021) demonstrated that urban influence increases obesity among rural women. Luke et al. (2022) discussed the counterintuitive link between economic development and metabolic diseases, proposing that individuals with low-BMI set points adapted to scarcity are now at high risk for these diseases despite not being overweight.

Other Key Supreme Court Rulings

2G Spectrum Allocation: The Supreme Court declined to accept the Centre’s application for clarification of its 2012 judgment on the 2G spectrum allocation, reiterating the need for legal clarity and rejecting delayed reviews. The 2G case, involving irregularities in license allocations, highlighted corruption’s indirect impact on public welfare and government revenue.

Childcare Leave for Women: The Supreme Court ruled that women employees are entitled to two-year childcare leave in addition to mandatory 180-day maternity leave. Ashwini Deshpande argues that upholding this right requires investing in the care economy. Banerjee, Biswas, and Mazumder (2024) caution that without policies to reduce the financial burden on firms, mandatory maternity leave might have unintended adverse effects on women’s employment and income.

Right to a Clean Environment: The Supreme Court affirmed the fundamental right to be free from the harmful effects of climate change, emphasizing that life and equality rights cannot be fully realized without a clean and stable environment. A recent blog series by I4I and the IGC discusses the negative impact of environmental degradation on health and economic progress and suggests policy measures for sustainable growth and environmental protection.

This roundup highlights the ongoing discussions and rulings that shape India’s policy environment, emphasizing the need for fair voting practices, wealth redistribution, health awareness, and environmental protection.

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