“Rethinking Public Institutions in India” edited by Devesh Kapur, Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Milan Vaishnav is a comprehensive analysis of India’s core federal institutions. The book critically assesses the capacity of India’s public sector to navigate the far-reaching transformations the country is experiencing.
The book is divided into several sections, each focusing on a different institution – from the Supreme Court and Parliament to the Election Commission and the civil services. The authors rely on interdisciplinary approaches and decades of practitioner experience to provide an insightful introduction to the functioning of Indian democracy.
The book not only provides an analytical and empirically-driven framework for understanding India’s institutional evolution but it also offers lessons for reform-minded policymakers and practitioners. It serves as a roadmap for carrying out fundamental reforms that will be necessary for India to build a reinvigorated state for the twenty-first century.
Overall, “Rethinking Public Institutions in India” is an enlightening read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of institutional choice and its impact on law and public policy. It offers valuable insights and a fresh perspective on how we perceive and interact with these institutions.