Poonam Agarwal’s India Inked offers a ground-level view of Indian Elections

Journalist and author Poonam Agarwal’s new book India Inked: Elections in the World's Largest Democracy takes a close, investigative look at how elections are conducted in India, pulling the curtain back on the machinery, people, and politics that shape the democratic process.

Published by Bloomsbury and launched in New Delhi on May 22, 2025, the book aims to decode the operations of the world’s largest electoral system. Agarwal, a former investigative journalist with BBC and The Quint, brings her field reporting experience to the forefront, weaving together narratives of polling officials, whistleblowers, bureaucrats, and party workers.

While the Indian election system is often praised globally for its scale and efficiency, India Inked goes beyond surface-level celebrations. The book interrogates how power operates behind the scenes, how decisions are influenced, rules are bent, and how institutions respond under pressure. It draws from real stories and official records to document how democratic ideals often clash with political realities.

Agarwal’s approach is grounded in journalistic rigour. Known for her work exposing surveillance and corruption, she builds this book on interviews and documents that highlight how both voters and officials navigate a system that is both monumental and fallible. The foreword, written by former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, lends institutional context to the narrative.

Endorsements from public figures such as journalist Rajdeep Sardesai and Delhi Minister Atishi describe the book as “a must-read” and “pathbreaking,” but India Inked positions itself not as a celebratory account, but as a critical reflection. The book does not aim to provide answers as much as it raises urgent questions: How independent is the Election Commission? What role does money play in candidate selection? And how much influence do political parties exert over the process?

For readers interested in how Indian democracy functions not in theory but in practice, India Inked offers a candid, often unsettling account. It is as much a political book as it is a journalistic record, one that seeks to start a conversation rather than end it