Section Article

THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN ELECTORAL POLITICS: A STUDY IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT
Author(s): Zafar Khan

Abstract
Media plays an increasingly critical role in shaping electoral politics in India influencing political communication voter behavior campaign strategies and public opinion. As one of the world’s largest democracies India exhibits a complex media landscape combining television print journalism digital news portals social media platforms and mobile communication networks. By the time India approached 2025 media had become deeply intertwined with political mobilization identity formation issue framing electoral persuasion and democratic participation. The rapid expansion of digital technologies transformed not only how information circulates but also how political actors engage with citizens how narratives are constructed and how electoral outcomes are shaped. This research evaluates the evolving role of media in India’s electoral process drawing from pre-2025 scholarship and analyzing contemporary trends in political communication. The paper explores how media influences voting behavior impacts campaign techniques affects political accountability and shapes democratic discourse. It highlights both the empowering potential of media and the challenges it poses including misinformation polarization corporate influence declining journalistic independence and unequal access to digital platforms. The study argues that media in all its forms has become a central determinant of electoral politics in India influencing not only what voters think about but also how they engage with democratic processes.