Why do Indian voters elect candidates with criminal records? And what does it tell us about the health of the world's largest democracy?

In this episode of Backpocket Pod, I sit down with Milan Vaishnav, Senior Fellow and Director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and author of "When Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics."

We move from political theory to the lived reality of governance in India, unpacking why the system works the way it does and who it actually serves.

We cover:

- Why criminal politicians continue to win elections

- The link between money, power, and electoral politics- Electoral bonds and political funding

- The strengths and weaknesses of India's democratic institutions- Parliament, accountability, and the Anti-Defection Law- State capacity and India's governance challenges

- National security institutions and bureaucratic constraints

- The changing nature of Indian democracy under the BJP

- What reforms could strengthen India's political system

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