T.S. Krishna Murthy was the Chief Election Commissioner of India from February 2004 to May 2005. The first Indian Revenue Service officer to become the Secretary to the Government of India, he also served as the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in Mumbai. He joined the Indian Revenue Service in 1963, going on to hold various key posts in the government.
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A first-hand account of the working of Indian democracy, this book is the result of years of experience at the helm of electoral affairs in India. The author takes us through the ups and downs of a distinguished career, which culminated in his posting to the Election Commission in 2000. It is here that he comes into his own: with honesty and a deep understanding of the way people and governments work, he shares with us his assessment of the parliamentary system in India, its strengths and weaknesses. The book traces the history of Indian democracy, from the very first general elections of 1952 to the present era of coalition politics. Using examples from other international systems of governance, Krishna Murthy examines the flaws as well as the amazing resilience of the political system in India, ultimately reinforcing the belief that the road to India's development is definitely through the ballot box.
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