Global freedom declines for the 19th consecutive year, India remains ‘partly free’

Global freedom declined for the 19th consecutive year in 2024, with India retaining its ‘partly free’ status, according to a report by the US-based non-profit organisation Freedom House, which highlighted the deterioration of political rights and civil liberties in many countries.

While 60 nations experienced setbacks, only 34 registered improvements, with El Salvador, Haiti, Kuwait, and Tunisia witnessing the most significant declines, whereas Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka recorded notable gains.

The report noted that elections in 2024 were marred by violence and authoritarian interference, as nearly half of the countries that conducted national polls saw incidents of candidate attacks, assaults on polling stations, or suppression of post-election protests through excessive force.

It observed that in authoritarian regimes, electoral processes were manipulated to prevent genuine opposition participation.

Despite the overall decline, certain regions saw improvements due to competitive elections or the collapse of long-standing authoritarian governments, although new administrations now face the challenge of establishing democratic institutions while ensuring individual rights.

In India, Jammu and Kashmir’s status shifted from ‘Not Free’ to ‘Partly Free’ after the return of elections, although the report maintained that the move did not fully restore the rights diminished following the 2019 revocation of Article 370.

Concerns were raised over increasing governmental influence over judicial appointments in India, as efforts to alter the Collegium system and delays in judicial nominations have resulted in rising vacancies and a backlog of cases. The report pointed out that these delays have left the Supreme Court operating with seven vacant positions while managing over 70,000 pending cases.