A man who controls the local police, the legal system, development contracts, exerts patronage, collects rents, and doles out benefits — however unfairly — can seem more effective than an honest representative.

xWe may be the world’s largest democracy, but we also have the highest number of criminals in politics. This deplorable truth stares us in the face, but we seem helpless to do anything about it. Ironically, the truth has been acknowledged; the government has set up committees — like the one chaired by N.N. Vohra — which clearly spell out the magnitude of the problem and what should be done to erase or reduce it. But to no avail.

The reason for this union of muscle and mandate is not a coincidence but a system. What is this system based upon? Firstly, in the absence of fully functi

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