Despite extensive evidence of voter bribery, the country’s elections tend to be both free and fair, with little evidence of ballot tampering. Armed with its “model code of conduct,” the Election Commission of India acts as a fierce policeman. Boisterous street campaigning is banned, while balloting is run remarkably cheaply. The real problem is exorbitant and rapidly rising election costs for political parties, which has pushed them to raise huge quantities of illicit funds, mostly from larger businesses. In turn, political leaders have built political machines whose wealth and power
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