What should have been one of Parliament's most consequential debates on electoral reforms and the integrity of India's democratic processes ended up as a mere round of political crossfire. Parliament, on Tuesday and Wednesday, was witness to loud exchanges, sharp accusations and defensive counter-statements, but scarcely any substantive dialogue on how to actually strengthen India's electoral architecture.

The debate began with high expectations. Over the past months, concerns over voter roll deletions, the opacity of political funding, questions about the independence of the Election Commission and the ongoing nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) had set the stage for a serious legislative conversation. Opposition parties hoped that this would compel a discussion on systemic lapse

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