Urban Dilemma: Vikaspuri’s Electoral Transformations 

Moderator: Dr. Sanjeev Kumar
Enumerator: Ms. Ishika Rani

Constitution Area: Vikas Puri

Voices from the Ground

Vikaspuri, a socio-economically diverse constituency in West Delhi, serves as a microcosm of India’s evolving democratic landscape. With over 462,000 voters, it encapsulates the tensions of rapid urbanization: infrastructural deficits, identity politics, and the clash between immediate welfare needs and aspirational development. This study synthesizes qualitative insights from Vikaspuri’s residents with theoretical frameworks from political science and sociology, offering a nuanced exploration of how governance inefficiencies and structural inequalities shape electoral behavior. By anonymizing voices and grounding analysis in scholarly debates, this paper bridges academic rigor with accessible narratives, revealing the precarious balance between democracy’s promise and its lived realities.

The importance of this study lies in its ability to provide a ground-level perspective on the challenges and aspirations of urban voters. While national and state-level political narratives often dominate public discourse, it is at the local level that the efficacy of governance is most acutely felt. Vikaspuri, with its mix of urban and semi-urban areas, offers a unique lens through which to examine the impact of policy decisions on everyday life. From access to basic amenities like water and sanitation to broader issues such as employment, education, and healthcare, the concerns of Vikaspuri’s residents reflect the broader challenges facing urban India.
This paper situates itself within scholarly debates on urban governance and electoral accountability, drawing parallels to global cases such as Sao Paulo’s favelas or Johannesburg’s townships, where marginalized communities negotiate citizenship amid systemic neglect. By adopting Amartya Sen’s capability approach, which emphasizes freedoms over mere economic metrics, the study evaluates whether Vikaspuri’s residents perceive democracy as a vehicle for enhancing their agency or as a ritualistic exercise in futility. The field travel exposed us to following pressing issues of the locality.

Water and Hydraulic Inequality

Vikaspuri’s water crisis mirrors Harvey’s “accumulation by dispossession.” Municipal supplies meet only 60% of the demand, forcing reliance on privatized tankers. Mr. A, a shopkeeper, terms this “hydraulic apartheid,” where the wealthy buy safety while the poor endure contaminated sources. Ms. B, a slum resident, spends hours queuing at communal taps, underscoring how resource distribution entrenches class divides.
The Delhi Jal Board’s inefficiency, compounded by leakages and illegal connections, epitomizes systemic decay. Mr. C, a middle-aged shopkeeper, highlighted the irregular water supply and poor sanitation in his locality, noting that many residents rely on private water suppliers due to the inconsistency of municipal services. This issue was echoed by Mr. D, a retired Delhi Police officer, who pointed to the contamination of drinking water in his village and the lack of proper sewage management.

Weberian Tug-of-War

Subsidies like free electricity (200 units/month) split voter opinions. Ms. E, a homemaker, praises the scheme for easing household budgets, aligning with Sen’s instrumental freedoms. Conversely, Mr. F, a young professional, critiques subsidies as fiscally irresponsible “freebies,” advocating instead for infrastructure investments—a Weberian shift toward formal rationality. This dichotomy reflects urban India’s broader dilemma: balancing immediate relief with sustainable growth.
Mr. G, a jeweler, expressed a clear preference for infrastructural development over subsidies, arguing that while subsidies provide temporary relief, sustainable growth requires investments in urban planning, employment, and governance. This sentiment was echoed by Mr. H, a 20-year-old first-time voter, who criticized the excessive reliance on freebies, arguing that they strain government finances and hinder long-term development.
However, not all residents shared this view. Ms. I, for example, emphasized the importance of subsidies like free electricity and bus rides for women, which have provided tangible benefits to her family. This divergence in perspectives underscores the complexity of voter expectations and the need for a balanced approach to policy-making that addresses both immediate needs and long-term development goals.

Identity and Marginality
Bourdieu’s symbolic violence surfaces in caste-based voting. Mr. J, a Dalit laborer, votes for leaders from his community, believing they alone address his needs. Conversely, Ms. K, a former BJP supporter, switched to AAP for tangible benefits, prioritizing capability over caste. These choices reveal how identity and pragmatism coexist in electoral calculus.
Kamlesh, a Dalit laborer, votes along caste lines, believing only leaders from his community will address his needs—a rational choice in a system where identity often dictates access to resources. Conversely, Sheila’s shift from BJP to AAP reflects a capability-driven calculus, prioritizing tangible benefits over ideological allegiance.

Governance Gap
Jurisdictional ambiguities in Delhi’s trifurcated governance (MCD, state, and central agencies) exacerbate service delays. Mr. L, a retiree, notes, “No one knows who’s responsible for fixing roads.” Voter disillusionment deepens with claims of electoral malpractice: Ms. M recounts being paid ₹500 to attend rallies, echoing James Scott’s “weapons of the weak,” where poverty commodifies political participation.
The interviews also revealed a growing trend of voter disillusionment, with several residents expressing frustration with the transactional nature of politics. Ms. N, for instance, recounted being offered money and alcohol to attend political rallies, highlighting the ethical concerns surrounding grassroots political engagement. These findings point to the need for greater accountability and transparency in the electoral process, as well as the importance of civic education in fostering informed electoral participation.

The Urban Underbelly
Air pollution, termed a “silent killer” by student Ms. O, highlights Beck’s “risk society,” where short-term fixes (e.g., odd-even vehicle rules) overshadow systemic solutions. Unemployment and crime intertwine; Mr. P, a shopkeeper, links youth joblessness to thefts, urging skill-development programs over populist promises.

Crime and unemployment emerged as interlinked challenges in Vikaspuri, with several residents attributing rising crime rates to the lack of job opportunities. Mr. Q argued that unemployment pushes individuals towards illicit activities, a view supported by national crime data indicating a correlation between economic instability and crime rates. To address this issue, he suggested that the government focus on skill development programs and small-business incentives, which could foster economic stability and reduce crime.

This perspective was shared by Ms. R, a freelance worker, who expressed frustration with the lack of employment opportunities and the government's failure to create jobs for the youth. Her concerns were compounded by the deteriorating infrastructure in her locality, which she felt had not improved despite the promises of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to urban governance that addresses both economic and social challenges.

Learnings
The field study in Vikaspuri unveiled how urban electoral behavior is deeply intertwined with socioeconomic realities, governance inefficiencies, and identity-based affiliations. A striking observation was the disparity in political awareness between different income groups. Low-income respondents exhibited higher participation in political discussions, primarily due to their direct reliance on government welfare schemes like free electricity and water. However, this engagement often reflected a transactional approach, where immediate material benefits overshadowed long-term developmental aspirations. Middle and upper income groups displayed a more critical stance towards government policies, prioritizing infrastructural development and sustainable urban planning over short-term subsidies. This divergence highlighted the contrasting expectations from governance across class lines while survival needs dictated political choices among vulnerable communities, and aspirations for better urban amenities drove the preferences of more affluent sections. Caste and community-based voting patterns were prominently visible, particularly among marginalized groups.Dalit respondents expressed a sense of representation through caste-aligned leaders, reflecting Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic violence. However, the study also observed an emerging trend of voters—especially women and younger participants—gravitating towards parties offering tangible benefits, indicating a gradual shift towards pragmatism over identity-based loyalties.

Furthermore, the fragmented governance structure in Delhi exacerbated voter frustration. The lack of clear accountability among the municipal corporation, state government, and central agencies created confusion, leaving citizens disillusioned about whom to hold responsible for local service delivery failures. Environmental issues like pollution, though widely acknowledged, remained peripheral in electoral priorities, overshadowed by immediate livelihood concerns. These findings underscore the need for more inclusive governance mechanisms, political literacy, and long-term policy interventions to bridge the gap between electoral participation and substantive democratic empowerment.
Reimagining Urban Citizenship

To address Vikaspuri’s governance and equity challenges, a blend of scholarly insights and actionable strategies can drive transformative change. Drawing on Elinor Ostrom’s theory of polycentric governance, decentralizing power to ward committees could enable communities to manage local resources like water and waste, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks and fostering accountability. Ostrom’s emphasis on collective action underscores how localized decision-making can tackle hyper-local issues—from broken roads to sanitation gaps—more effectively than top-down systems. Complementing this, Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy advocates for civic education that empowers marginalized groups to question systemic inequities. By integrating Freirean workshops into schools and communities, residents can move beyond transactional voting (e.g., cash-for-votes) to demand accountability and prioritize long-term development over short-term freebies.
Practical steps must also include green urban planning, such as solar-powered streetlights and waste-to-energy plants, which merge job creation with pollution reduction. Gender-responsive policies—like safe street lighting and subsidized childcare centers—can alleviate women’s dual burdens of unpaid labor and safety risks, enabling broader economic participation. Additionally, leveraging technology for transparency, such as apps to track municipal spending or report grievances, could rebuild trust in institutions. Finally, fostering cross-sector partnerships with NGOs and private firms could address skill gaps and healthcare access, ensuring policies are both inclusive and sustainable.
Democracy at the Crossroads

Vikaspuri’s electorate embodies urban India’s struggle to reconcile welfare with dignity. While subsidies and identity politics sustain electoral arithmetic, residents like Mr. S yearn for transformative governance—transparent, sustainable, and equitable. As Ms. T poignantly states, “Sarkar jiski bhi aaye, sabke hitt ke sath gareeb ka utthan hona chahlye” (Whoever governs must uplift the poor alongside others). Vikaspuri’s story is not unique; it is a call to reimagine democracy as a vehicle for collective agency, not just electoral ritual.

The findings of this study offer valuable insights into the electoral concerns of Vikaspuri’s residents, reflecting the broader challenges facing urban India. From access to basic amenities and the impact of inflation to the interlinked issues of crime and unemployment, the concerns of Vikaspuri’s electorate highlight the need for inclusive and responsive governance. The shifting paradigm in voter expectations, with an increasing emphasis on long-term development over short-term subsidies, underscores the complexity of urban governance and the need for a balanced approach to policy-making.
At the heart of these findings is the recognition that effective governance must address both the immediate needs and long-term aspirations of the electorate. This requires not only investments in infrastructure and public services but also a commitment to transparency, accountability, and civic engagement. As India continues to urbanize, the lessons from Vikaspuri offer a roadmap for addressing the challenges of urban governance and ensuring that the benefits of development are equitably distributed.

 
Thus, this study contributes to our understanding of electoral behavior in urban India, offering a ground-level perspective on the issues that shape voter choices. By engaging with the voices of Vikaspuri’s residents, we gain a deeper appreciation of the complexities of urban governance and the importance of responsive and inclusive policies in fostering democratic engagement. As India moves forward, the lessons from Vikaspuri serve as a reminder that the strength of democracy lies in its ability to address the concerns of all its citizens, particularly those on the margins of society.