ABSTRACT
The rise and consolidation of constitutional democracy in India is symptomatic of, on the one hand, 'a hegemonic discourse' in an accommodative design and hence, on the other hand, 'a flexible conceptualizing mould'. India's constitutional democracy is a theoretically innovative and conceptually challenging design that allows us to comprehend its character in a non-Western context. By formally demanding complete independence in 1929, the nationalists set in motion a different kind of struggle against the British, which was also accompanied by their urge for constitutionalizing India in accordance with the fundamental ethos of Western liberalism. Constitutional democracy creates a legitimate space for contending politico-ideological forces jostling to prove their relevance whenever there is political competition in the form of elections which are held regularly. The electoral battle is fought by the contenders on the basis of their distinctive politico-ideological appeals to the demos. Constitutional democracy entails a system in which the demos, guided by well-defined constitutional rules and regulations, reigns supreme.
