When India goes to the polls in early 2024, it’s onerous to think about voters kicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi out of energy. In truth, Modi might be extra personally in style now than when he was first elected 10 years in the past. But a more in-depth have a look at the previous few weeks of Indian politics reveals how deeply this dominance depends on a calculated use of state energy — in addition to what it could be costing Indian democracy.

Earlier this month, two younger males — who had been granted entry to the customer’s gallery of India’s parliament by a ruling-party legislator — jumped into the realm with members’ seats and set off smoke bombs. Nobody was injured, nor did it appear that violence was their intention.