A Priceless Gem in the Discourse on Democracy
NHRC Chairman Justice V Ramasubramanian in his
Appraisal
(The Book: Democracy
and Governance Through Lens and Blurred Glasses
A Journey into Distorted Visions of
Modern-Day Politics)
Authored by Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
(December 19, 2025)
On the eve of the release of Democracy
and Governance Through Lens and Blurred Glasses: A Journey into Distorted
Visions of Modern-Day Politics, authored by former CPRO to former TG Chief
Minister, Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao, the book already carries an endorsement of
rare weight and significance. Justice V Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of the
National Human Rights Commission and an eminent jurist, who will formally
release the volume has described it as a ‘Priceless Gem among the Genre of Books
on the State of Democracy.’ His appraisal recognizes the work’s wide-ranging
yet balanced engagement with India’s democratic journey, one that confronts
uncomfortable truths without surrendering to cynicism. The observation lends
both gravitas and moral clarity to the book’s central concern.
The book is further strengthened by
the Foreword written by S Narsing Rao, IAS (Retd), a seasoned administrator
whose career spans distinguished service in India and abroad. He characterizes
the work as ‘a chronicle faithful to fact and a conscience that asks
uncomfortable questions.’ Drawing upon his own administrative experience, he
notes that the essays enable readers to grasp democracy not merely as
constitutional theory, but as a lived experience shaped by everyday governance.
His reflections bridge the gap between principle and practice, underscoring how
institutional frameworks and individual integrity together define democratic
outcomes.
In the Prologue, Master Trainer and
governance expert MP Sethy situates the book as a valuable resource for a wide
and diverse readership-administrators, policymakers, journalists, academicians,
students, and engaged citizens alike. He highlights that the seventy-five
articles, written in real time over a span of fifteen years, retain the
immediacy of unfolding events while benefiting from the wisdom of hindsight. In
his assessment, the volume functions simultaneously as a training manual, an
analytical guide, and a reflective companion for those committed to improving
governance systems.
A particularly compelling and
newsworthy reflection in Justice Ramasubramanian’s appraisal relates to the
article titled ‘Adherence to Lakshman Rekha.’ Drawing from personal experience,
he revisits the complex constitutional episode involving the Telangana
Legislature and the High Court. The article examines the expulsion of two
Congress MLAs in 2018 by a unanimous resolution of the Assembly, their subsequent
challenge before the High Court, and the Single Judge’s decision to set aside
the expulsions on grounds of violation of natural justice. The judgment ignited
a wider debate on the extent of judicial scrutiny over legislative proceedings.
The episode, as highlighted in the
book, raises a fundamental democratic question: how should constitutional
courts balance respect for legislative privilege with the duty of judicial
oversight? Far from being a technical or procedural dispute, it underscores the
fragile but essential equilibrium between institutions. Democracies, the
narrative suggests, thrive not through rigid boundaries but through constant
dialogue, restraint, and mutual respect among constitutional organs.
Justice Ramasubramanian discloses that
he was then serving in the Telangana High Court and was part of the Division
Bench that later stayed the Single Judge’s order. From this vantage point, he
shares details rarely accessible in the public domain. He notes that the
expelled MLAs committed a critical procedural error by impleading only the
State of Telangana, the Legislative Secretariat, and the Election Commission of
India, without impleading the authority competent to execute the court’s order.
He recounts that when the petitioners
sought production of CCTV footage from the Assembly, the then Advocate General
agreed before the court, only to face objection from the Chief Minister, which
eventually led to his resignation. The government subsequently refused to
produce the footage, citing legislative privilege and non-justiciability. This
stance prompted the learned Single Judge to draw an adverse inference, allow
the writ petition, and order reinstatement of the MLAs, an order that the
government neither implemented nor appealed.
Matters escalated when ruling party
MLAs filed a third-party appeal, which the Division Bench dismissed for lack of
locus standi. Contempt proceedings followed, during which senior officials
explained their inability to execute the order without proper authorization.
The situation drifted into an institutional stalemate. Justice Ramasubramanian
recalls that, in a casual conversation, he suggested to the learned Judge that
the competent authority had not been impleaded and that this procedural gap
could be addressed.
Acting on this, the Judge announced in
open court that he would suo motu implead the necessary party. This development
compelled the government to abandon its confrontational stance and file a
proper appeal before the Division Bench. ‘The rest is history,’ Justice
Ramasubramanian notes, observing that such behind-the-scenes institutional
dynamics rarely enter the public record.
The book, as it emerges, is not merely
a compilation of articles but a sustained democratic chronicle. It reads as a
governance handbook, a moral compass, and a citizen’s guide, woven into a
single narrative. Each of the seventy-five essays, most originally published in
newspapers, moves from immediate events to deeper interpretation, revealing
democracy’s remarkable capacity for self-correction amid crises and
contradictions.
The perspective informing the book is
shaped by over four decades of hands-on experience of its author, Vanam Jwala
Narasimha Rao, across diverse domains of governance, including rural
development, government training, public relations, policy design, media
communication, emergency services, and more than fifteen years in the Chief
Ministers’ Offices of Telangana and undivided Andhra Pradesh, besides service
in a Governor’s office. This composite experience offers an insider’s vantage
point, that immersed in institutional functioning rather than detached from it.
From this standpoint, democracy is
examined not as an abstract ideal but as a lived process, marked by
institutional erosion, political expediency, and weakening conventions,
alongside enduring possibilities for renewal and reform. The essays function both
as a warning and a wake-up call, emphasizing that democracy survives not merely
through elections but through informed citizenry, ethical leadership, vigilant
institutions, and sustained public engagement.
The book also carries a strong
educational purpose. It seeks to demystify constitutional structures,
administrative processes, political transformations, and electoral dynamics in
a manner accessible to the general reader and meaningful to specialists. Seen
through both lens and blurred glasses, democracy, the book argues, becomes
clearer, sharper, and more intelligible.
The release event tomorrow evening
will feature a scholarly review by Professor Ghanta Chakrapani, Vice-Chancellor
of Dr B R Ambedkar Open University, noted academic, columnist, and the first
Chairperson of the Telangana Public Service Commission. The Dais will graced by
distinguished personalities; TG Minister Duddilla Sridhar babu, BJP Telangana
President N Ramchander Rao, MLC Surabhi Vani Devi, Former Principal Secretary
to Former CM KCR S Narsing Rao, Former CMD TG TRANSCO and GENCO Devulapalli
Prabhakar Rao, Managing Director of Praneeth Group Narendra Kumar Kamaraju,
Advocate Harkara Srinivasa Rao etc. Their presence symbolizes the diverse
intellect, legal, administrative, political, academic, and civic, that
democracy touches and transforms.
If the book succeeds in encouraging readers to
reflect, question, and engage—sharpening democratic instincts and deepening
understanding—it would stand as a fitting culmination of the author’s long
engagement with democratic institutions and public life, and its purpose will
have been fulfilled. Despite its frustrations and flaws, democracy remains
India’s most powerful instrument of collective aspiration. With clarity of
thought, honesty of purpose, and courage of conviction, it retains the capacity
to renew and safeguard itself, even in the most testing times.
(Book Launch on December 19, 2025, Hyderabad
Venue: MLAs and MPs
Colony Cultural Center,
Road No. 10C, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, at
6:30 PM)
No comments:
Post a Comment